AA vs. RGLD: Alcoa vs. Royal Gold Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD) both belong to the Metals & Mining industry, though AA is classified under Aluminum while RGLD falls under Gold.

Company profile comparison for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Profile Item	AA	RGLD
Name	Alcoa Corporation	Royal Gold, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Metals & Mining	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Aluminum	Gold
Market Capitalization	10.44 billion USD	22.47 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	June 9, 1981
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

RGLD

GSPC

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…

Trailing total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…

Calendar-year total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Total Return (1Y)	12.55%	60.60%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.53%	39.65%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-1.46%	23.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

RGLD

GSPC

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…

Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Alcoa (AA) has an aggressive beta of 1.80, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Royal Gold (RGLD) is defensive at 0.39 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	53.37%	41.91%
Beta (5Y)	1.80	0.39
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-75.46%	-40.73%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.61M	667.01K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AA and RGLD are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.16	1.34
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.23	2.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 20.58% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Royal Gold (RGLD) at 15.03% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for AA.

AA

Materials industry group

20.58%

Max: 52.88%
AA: 20.58%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

RGLD

Materials industry group

15.03%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
RGLD: 15.03%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Royal Gold (RGLD) at 47.99% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Alcoa (AA) at 10.68% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

AA

Materials industry group

10.68%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
AA: 10.68%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

RGLD

Materials industry group

47.99%

RGLD: 47.99%
Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Royal Gold (RGLD) at 65.85% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Alcoa (AA) at 16.01%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AA

Materials industry group

16.01%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
AA: 16.01%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

RGLD

Materials industry group

65.85%

Max: 66.70%
RGLD: 65.85%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
ROE (TTM)	20.58%	15.03%
ROA (TTM)	7.52%	9.97%
Net Margin (TTM)	10.68%	47.99%
Operating Margin (TTM)	16.01%	65.85%
Gross Margin (TTM)	22.76%	86.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Royal Gold (RGLD) at 43.24% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Alcoa (AA) at 7.87% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for RGLD.

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Alcoa (AA) at 1,600.00% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Royal Gold (RGLD) at 32.74%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Revenue Growth (YoY)	7.87%	43.24%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.01%	19.54%
EPS Growth (YoY)	1,600.00%	32.74%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	22.60%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 2.31 and Royal Gold (RGLD) at 2.40 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

AA

Materials industry group

2.31

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
AA: 2.31
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

RGLD

Materials industry group

2.40

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
RGLD: 2.40
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Royal Gold (RGLD) at 0.02 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Alcoa (AA) at 0.58 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

AA

Materials industry group

0.58

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
AA: 0.58
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

RGLD

Materials industry group

0.02

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
RGLD: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.31	2.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.58	0.02
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.14	-0.03

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 1.04% and Royal Gold (RGLD) at 0.74% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AA

Materials industry group

1.04%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
AA: 1.04%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RGLD

Materials industry group

0.74%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
RGLD: 0.74%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 6.96% and Royal Gold (RGLD) at 19.41% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AA

Materials industry group

6.96%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
AA: 6.96%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RGLD

Materials industry group

19.41%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
RGLD: 19.41%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.04%	0.74%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	6.96%	19.41%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 6.88 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Royal Gold (RGLD) at 27.15 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for AA, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AA

Materials industry group

6.88

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
AA: 6.88
Min: 3.93

RGLD

Materials industry group

27.15

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
RGLD: 27.15
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 0.73 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Royal Gold (RGLD) at 12.86 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.

AA

Materials industry group

0.73

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
AA: 0.73
Min: 0.00

RGLD

Materials industry group

12.86

RGLD: 12.86
Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Alcoa (AA) at 1.27 and Royal Gold (RGLD) at 2.91 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AA

Materials industry group

1.27

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
AA: 1.27
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

RGLD

Materials industry group

2.91

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
RGLD: 2.91
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

Alcoa (AA) vs. Royal Gold (RGLD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Royal Gold (RGLD)
Metric	AA	RGLD
P/E Ratio (TTM)	6.88	27.15
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.73	12.86
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.27	2.91
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	8.80%	4.24%