VGZ
Vista Gold Corp.
Gold
Market Cap$326M
5Y Perf.+149.2%
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Stock Comparison
VGZ vs USAU
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
USAU
U.S. Gold Corp.
Gold
Market Cap$273M
5Y Perf.+88.7%
VGZ vs USAU — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | VGZ | USAU |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Gold | Gold |
| Market Cap | $326M | $273M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-8M | $-20M |
| Total Debt | $0.00 | $34K |
| Cash & Equiv. | $14M | $8M |
VGZ vs USAU — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
VGZ
USAU
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Gold Corp. (VGZ) | 100 | 249.2 | +149.2% |
| U.S. Gold Corp. (USAU) | 100 | 188.7 | +88.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: VGZ vs USAU
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: VGZ leads in 3 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for profitability and margin quality and recent price momentum and sentiment. U.S. Gold Corp. is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
VGZ
Vista Gold Corp.
The Growth Play
VGZ carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- EPS growth -100.1%
- 220.9% 10Y total return vs USAU's -68.0%
- 3.5% margin vs USAU's 0.6%
Best for: growth exposure and long-term compounding
USAU
U.S. Gold Corp.
The Income Pick
USAU is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 1.02
- Lower volatility, beta 1.02, Low D/E 0.3%, current ratio 10.11x
- Beta 1.02, current ratio 10.11x
Best for: income & stability and sleep-well-at-night
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | USAU | -100.0% revenue growth vs VGZ's -181.3% |
| Quality / Margins | VGZ | 3.5% margin vs USAU's 0.6% |
| Stability / Safety | USAU | Beta 1.02 vs VGZ's 1.23 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VGZ | +116.3% vs USAU's +57.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VGZ | -31.0% ROA vs USAU's -58.1%, ROIC -5.7% vs -126.6% |
VGZ vs USAU — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLVGZLAGGINGUSAU
USAUU.S. Gold Corp.
1leads
VGZVista Gold Corp.
2leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs USAUMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
USAU1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
Tied
—
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
VGZ5/7
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
VGZ4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
USAU leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
VGZ and USAU operate at a comparable scale, with $0 and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$6M | -$17M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$8M | -$20M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$8M | -$15M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.1% | +35.2% |
USAU leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — VGZ and USAU each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $326M | $273M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $313M | $265M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -37.56x | -9.22x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 18.64x | 16.37x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Evenly matched — VGZ and USAU each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VGZ leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
VGZ delivers a -32.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-33 in annual profit, vs $-68 for USAU. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), USAU scores 2/9 vs VGZ's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -32.7% | -68.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -31.0% | -58.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -5.7% | -126.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -56.1% | -56.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.00x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$14M | -$8M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $14M | $8M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $34,410 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
VGZ leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
VGZ leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in VGZ five years ago would be worth $19,737 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,333 for USAU. Over the past 12 months, VGZ leads with a +116.3% total return vs USAU's +57.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors USAU at 55.1% vs VGZ's 46.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +24.3% | -10.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +116.3% | +57.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +216.9% | +272.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +97.4% | +53.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +220.9% | -68.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +46.9% | +55.1% |
VGZ leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — VGZ and USAU each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
USAU is the less volatile stock with a 1.02 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VGZ's 1.23 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.23x | 1.02x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.13 | $23.75 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.91 | $9.75 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +71.9% | +69.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.4 | 58.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 276K |
Evenly matched — VGZ and USAU each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VGZ as "Buy" and USAU as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 100.0% upside for VGZ (target: $5) vs 61.2% for USAU (target: $27).
| Metric | VGZVista Gold Corp. | USAUU.S. Gold Corp. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $4.50 | $26.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 4 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
VGZ leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). USAU leads in 1 (Income & Cash Flow). 2 tied.
Best OverallVista Gold Corp. (VGZ)Leads 2 of 6 categories
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VGZ vs USAU: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VGZ or USAU a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Vista Gold Corp.
(VGZ) a "Buy" — based on 2 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — VGZ or USAU?
Over the past 5 years, Vista Gold Corp.
(VGZ) delivered a total return of +97. 4%, compared to +53. 3% for U. S. Gold Corp. (USAU). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VGZ returned +220. 9% versus USAU's -68. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — VGZ or USAU?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), U.
S. Gold Corp. (USAU) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 02β versus Vista Gold Corp. 's 1. 23β — meaning VGZ is approximately 21% more volatile than USAU relative to the S&P 500.
04Which is growing faster — VGZ or USAU?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Vista Gold Corp.
grew EPS -100. 1% year-over-year, compared to -143. 2% for U. S. Gold Corp.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — VGZ or USAU?
Vista Gold Corp.
(VGZ) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus 0. 0% for U. S. Gold Corp. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VGZ leads at 0. 0% versus 0. 0% for USAU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VGZ leads at 0. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — VGZ or USAU?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is VGZ or USAU better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Vista Gold Corp.
(VGZ) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 23), +220. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VGZ: +220. 9%, USAU: -68. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between VGZ and USAU?
Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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