Contrasting Sandstorm Gold (NYSE:SAND) and Athena Gold (OTCMKTS:AHNR)

Sandstorm Gold (NYSE:SAND) and Athena Gold (OTCMKTS:AHNR) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares Sandstorm Gold and Athena Gold’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Sandstorm Gold	12.24%	1.52%	1.14%
Athena Gold	N/A	4.31%	3.80%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Sandstorm Gold and Athena Gold’s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Sandstorm Gold	$106.58 million	16.22	$41.72 million	$0.08	72.57
Athena Gold	N/A	N/A	$610,000.00	N/A	N/A

Sandstorm Gold has higher revenue and earnings than Athena Gold.

Volatility and Risk

Sandstorm Gold has a beta of 1.08, suggesting that its stock price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Athena Gold has a beta of -0.09, suggesting that its stock price is 109% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

52.0% of Sandstorm Gold shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 35.9% of Athena Gold shares are held by institutional investors. 1.5% of Sandstorm Gold shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 11.5% of Athena Gold shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Sandstorm Gold and Athena Gold, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Sandstorm Gold	0	1	2	0	2.67
Athena Gold	0	0	0	0	N/A

Sandstorm Gold currently has a consensus price target of $11.05, indicating a potential upside of 90.35%. Given Sandstorm Gold’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Sandstorm Gold is more favorable than Athena Gold.

Summary

Sandstorm Gold beats Athena Gold on 7 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Sandstorm Gold

Sandstorm Gold Ltd. operates as a gold royalty company. The company focuses on acquiring royalties and gold and other metals purchase agreements from companies that have advanced stage operating mines. It offers upfront payments for companies to acquire a stream and receives the right to purchase a percentage of a mine's production for the life of the mine. The company has a portfolio of 243 streams and royalties. It primarily has operations in Canada, Mexico, the United States, Mongolia, Burkina Faso, Ecuador, South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Cote D'Ivoire, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guyana, Paraguay, French Guiana, Turkey, Sweden, Fiji, and Australia. The company was formerly known as Sandstorm Resources Ltd. and changed its name to Sandstorm Gold Ltd. in February 2011. Sandstorm Gold Ltd. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

About Athena Gold

Athena Gold Corporation, an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral resources in the United States. It explores for gold, molybdenum, and copper deposits. The company's flagship property is the Excelsior Springs project comprising 191 unpatented claims and 2 patented mining claims located in Walker Lane, Nevada. It also owns 100% interest in the Crow Springs project, which consists of eleven unpatented mining claims located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Athena Gold Corporation was formerly known as Athena Silver Corporation and changed its name to Athena Gold Corporation in January 2021. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Vacaville, California.