Santacruz Silver Mining (NASDAQ:SCZM) versus i-80 Gold (NYSE:IAUX) Critical Survey

Santacruz Silver Mining (NASDAQ:SCZM) and i-80 Gold (NYSE:IAUX) are both small-cap materials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and dividends.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Santacruz Silver Mining and i-80 Gold”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Santacruz Silver Mining	$326.38 million	2.15	$42.22 million	$0.32	23.54
i-80 Gold	$130.76 million	9.26	-$65.20 million	($0.31)	-4.50

Santacruz Silver Mining has higher revenue and earnings than i-80 Gold. i-80 Gold is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Santacruz Silver Mining, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Santacruz Silver Mining and i-80 Gold’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Santacruz Silver Mining	9.97%	21.55%	9.49%
i-80 Gold	-231.43%	-21.18%	-12.67%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

61.3% of i-80 Gold shares are held by institutional investors. 1.4% of i-80 Gold shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Santacruz Silver Mining and i-80 Gold, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Santacruz Silver Mining	0	2	1	0	2.33
i-80 Gold	0	0	1	0	3.00

Santacruz Silver Mining currently has a consensus price target of $10.00, indicating a potential upside of 32.77%. i-80 Gold has a consensus price target of $2.75, indicating a potential upside of 97.13%. Given i-80 Gold’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe i-80 Gold is more favorable than Santacruz Silver Mining.

Summary

Santacruz Silver Mining beats i-80 Gold on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Santacruz Silver Mining

Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. is a Canadian mining company focused on the exploration, development and production of silver and other metals. Its operations and mining assets are primarily located in Bolivia, where it produces metal-bearing concentrates that include silver, zinc and lead. The company’s Bolivian portfolio includes the Bolívar and Porco mines and the Caballo Blanco group of mining properties. It also has mineral processing facilities that support the treatment of ore from its operations.

About i-80 Gold

i-80 Gold Corp. is a Nevada-focused mining company that explores and develops gold and other mineral deposits. Its portfolio includes the Ruby Hill, Granite Creek, McCoy-Cove and Lone Tree properties, which the company is advancing through exploration, technical studies and development work. The company’s strategy centers on developing underground and open-pit deposits in established Nevada mining districts. Its projects include gold deposits as well as mineralization containing metals such as silver, lead and zinc. i-80 Gold was established in 2021 following the acquisition of Premier Gold Mines by Equinox Gold and the subsequent separation of Equinox’s Nevada assets into a standalone company.