Head-To-Head Survey: Vista Gold (NYSE:VGZ) vs. Alexco Resource (NYSE:AXU)
Alexco Resource (NYSE:AXU – Get Rating) and Vista Gold (NYSE:VGZ – Get Rating) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, risk and earnings.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Alexco Resource and Vista Gold’s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Alexco Resource | $17.16 million | 7.08 | -$2.51 million | ($0.11) | -6.79 |
| Vista Gold | N/A | N/A | -$15.24 million | ($0.11) | -7.18 |
Alexco Resource has higher revenue and earnings than Vista Gold. Vista Gold is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Alexco Resource, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Alexco Resource and Vista Gold, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Alexco Resource | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Vista Gold | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
Alexco Resource presently has a consensus price target of $3.25, suggesting a potential upside of 335.37%. Given Alexco Resource’s higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Alexco Resource is more favorable than Vista Gold.
Risk & Volatility
Alexco Resource has a beta of 1.19, meaning that its share price is 19% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vista Gold has a beta of 1.38, meaning that its share price is 38% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Alexco Resource and Vista Gold’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Alexco Resource | -90.08% | -10.37% | -9.02% |
| Vista Gold | N/A | -77.99% | -69.29% |
Insider and Institutional Ownership
27.3% of Alexco Resource shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 29.4% of Vista Gold shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.8% of Vista Gold shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
Alexco Resource beats Vista Gold on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Alexco Resource (Get Rating)
Alexco Resource Corp. engages in the mineral exploration, evaluation, development, and operational activities primarily in Yukon Territory, Canada. The company explores for silver, lead, zinc, and gold deposits. It owns interests in the majority of the historic Keno Hill Silver District project that comprises the Flame & Moth, Bermingham, Lucky Queen, Bellekeno, and Onek deposits, as well as 722 quartz mining leases, 873 quartz claims, 24 placer mining claims, 1 quartz mining license and 50% of 3 quartz mining leases, 2 crown grants, and 6 fee simple lots and 7 surface leases located in Yukon Territory. Alexco Resource Corp. was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
About Vista Gold (Get Rating)
Vista Gold Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration, and advancement of gold exploration and development projects primarily in Australia. The company’s flagship asset is the Mt Todd gold project located in Northern Territory. Vista Gold Corp. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.
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