AA vs. WPM: Alcoa vs. Wheaton Precious Metals Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) 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 Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) both belong to the Metals & Mining industry, though AA is classified under Aluminum while WPM falls under Gold.

Company profile comparison for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Profile Item	AA	WPM
Name	Alcoa Corporation	Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.
Country/Region	United States	Canada
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	61.91 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	July 6, 2005
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WPM

GSPC

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM), 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

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Trailing total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Total Return (1Y)	12.55%	45.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.53%	50.60%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-1.46%	29.06%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WPM

GSPC

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM). 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 Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) is defensive at 0.49 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	53.37%	52.11%
Beta (5Y)	1.80	0.49
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-75.46%	-43.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.61M	2.01M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AA and WPM 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 Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.16	0.79
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.23	1.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 20.58% and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 23.10% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

AA

Materials industry group

20.58%

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

WPM

Materials industry group

23.10%

Max: 52.88%
WPM: 23.10%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 60.39% 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%

WPM

Materials industry group

60.39%

WPM: 60.39%
Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 66.70% 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%

WPM

Materials industry group

66.70%

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

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
ROE (TTM)	20.58%	23.10%
ROA (TTM)	7.52%	15.22%
Net Margin (TTM)	10.68%	60.39%
Operating Margin (TTM)	16.01%	66.70%
Gross Margin (TTM)	22.76%	86.61%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 80.18% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Alcoa (AA) at 7.87% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WPM.

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both companies show strong earnings momentum, but Alcoa (AA) at 1,600.00% is the standout with EPS growth above its industry range; Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 177.85% also sits in the top quartile.

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Revenue Growth (YoY)	7.87%	80.18%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.01%	29.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	1,600.00%	177.85%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	29.83%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alcoa (AA) at 2.31 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 0.57 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WPM.

AA

Materials industry group

2.31

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

WPM

Materials industry group

0.57

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
WPM: 0.57
Min: 0.16

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 0.58 and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 0.16 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AA

Materials industry group

0.58

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

WPM

Materials industry group

0.16

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
WPM: 0.16
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.31	0.57
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.58	0.16
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.14	0.50

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 1.04% and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 0.57% 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%

WPM

Materials industry group

0.57%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
WPM: 0.57%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 6.96% and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 16.29% 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%

WPM

Materials industry group

16.29%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
WPM: 16.29%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.04%	0.57%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	6.96%	16.29%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 6.88 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 29.63 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

WPM

Materials industry group

29.63

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
WPM: 29.63
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): 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 Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 17.86 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

WPM

Materials industry group

17.86

WPM: 17.86
Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Alcoa (AA) at 1.27 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) at 6.17 carries an above-peer premium to book — WPM is pricier on assets.

AA

Materials industry group

1.27

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

WPM

Materials industry group

6.17

Max: 6.59
WPM: 6.17
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

Alcoa (AA) vs. Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcoa (AA) and Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM)
Metric	AA	WPM
P/E Ratio (TTM)	6.88	29.63
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.73	17.86
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.27	6.17
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	8.80%	-5.11%