AEM vs. CLF: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on July 7, 2025

Here’s a clear look at AEM and CLF, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Overview

AEM’s market capitalization of 60.70 billion USD is substantially larger than CLF’s 4.36 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.

CLF carries a higher beta at 1.85, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while AEM (beta: 0.50) exhibits greater stability.

Symbol	AEM	CLF
Company Name	Agnico Eagle Mines Limited	Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
Country	CA	US
Sector	Basic Materials	Basic Materials
Industry	Gold	Steel
CEO	Ammar Al-Joundi	C. Lourenco Goncalves
Price	120.06 USD	8.82 USD
Market Cap	60.70 billion USD	4.36 billion USD
Beta	0.50	1.85
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
IPO Date	June 1, 1972	November 5, 1987
ADR	No	No

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of AEM and CLF by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.

Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

AEM vs. CLF: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Profitability

Return on Equity

AEM

11.41%

Gold Industry

Max: 25.86%
Q3: 12.48%
Median: 8.15%
Q1: 2.34%
Min: -3.82%

AEM’s Return on Equity of 11.41% is on par with the norm for the Gold industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

CLF

-17.59%

Steel Industry

Max: 19.41%
Q3: 6.56%
Median: 1.54%
Q1: -3.03%
Min: -12.88%

CLF has a negative Return on Equity of -17.59%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their ROE against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Return on Invested Capital

AEM

8.50%

Gold Industry

Max: 20.84%
Q3: 9.90%
Median: 5.11%
Q1: 1.36%
Min: -10.62%

AEM’s Return on Invested Capital of 8.50% is in line with the norm for the Gold industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.

CLF

-5.38%

Steel Industry

Max: 8.44%
Q3: 6.04%
Median: 2.41%
Q1: -2.16%
Min: -5.38%

CLF has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -5.38%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their ROIC against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin

AEM

26.48%

Gold Industry

Max: 26.48%
Q3: 21.01%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 8.22%
Min: -6.63%

A Net Profit Margin of 26.48% places AEM in the upper quartile for the Gold industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

CLF

-6.35%

Steel Industry

Max: 6.80%
Q3: 4.40%
Median: 0.88%
Q1: -2.05%
Min: -10.37%

CLF has a negative Net Profit Margin of -6.35%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin

AEM

41.82%

Gold Industry

Max: 67.43%
Q3: 40.39%
Median: 30.64%
Q1: 19.83%
Min: -9.84%

An Operating Profit Margin of 41.82% places AEM in the upper quartile for the Gold industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

CLF

-6.75%

Steel Industry

Max: 17.40%
Q3: 7.61%
Median: 4.75%
Q1: -0.70%
Min: -10.86%

CLF has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -6.75%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Operating Margin against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	AEM	CLF
Return on Equity (TTM)	11.41%	-17.59%
Return on Assets (TTM)	7.74%	-5.67%
Return on Invested Capital (TTM)	8.50%	-5.38%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	26.48%	-6.35%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	41.82%	-6.75%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	48.06%	-3.26%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio

AEM

2.37

Gold Industry

Max: 4.98
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.34
Q1: 1.51
Min: 0.52

AEM’s Current Ratio of 2.37 aligns with the median group of the Gold industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

CLF

2.13

Steel Industry

Max: 3.17
Q3: 3.03
Median: 2.58
Q1: 1.87
Min: 1.35

CLF’s Current Ratio of 2.13 aligns with the median group of the Steel industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Current Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

AEM

0.06

Gold Industry

Max: 0.67
Q3: 0.34
Median: 0.17
Q1: 0.06
Min: 0.00

AEM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.06 is typical for the Gold industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

CLF

1.22

Steel Industry

Max: 0.48
Q3: 0.45
Median: 0.27
Q1: 0.18
Min: 0.00

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.22, CLF operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Steel industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their D/E Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio

AEM

45.23

Gold Industry

Max: 45.23
Q3: 25.79
Median: 13.44
Q1: 2.91
Min: -6.26

AEM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 45.23 is in the upper quartile for the Gold industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

CLF

-2.82

Steel Industry

Max: 28.82
Q3: 10.16
Median: 3.04
Q1: -2.82
Min: -8.78

CLF has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -2.82. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Interest Coverage against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	AEM	CLF
Current Ratio (TTM)	2.37	2.13
Quick Ratio (TTM)	1.20	0.64
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)	0.06	1.22
Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM)	0.04	0.36
Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)	0.03	-119.75
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	45.23	-2.82

Growth

The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AEM and CLF. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.

Revenue Growth

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Revenue Growth.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth.

Free Cash Flow Growth

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Free Cash Flow Growth.

Dividend

Dividend Yield

AEM

1.33%

Gold Industry

Max: 3.65%
Q3: 1.37%
Median: 0.47%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AEM’s Dividend Yield of 1.33% is consistent with its peers in the Gold industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

CLF

0.00%

Steel Industry

Max: 16.89%
Q3: 3.75%
Median: 1.68%
Q1: 1.43%
Min: 0.00%

CLF currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Dividend Yield against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio

AEM

29.17%

Gold Industry

Max: 110.70%
Q3: 42.09%
Median: 15.45%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AEM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 29.17% is within the typical range for the Gold industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

CLF

0.00%

Steel Industry

Max: 222.70%
Q3: 39.78%
Median: 32.33%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

CLF has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Payout Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	AEM	CLF
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.33%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	29.17%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio

AEM

25.48

Gold Industry

Max: 64.00
Q3: 46.06
Median: 29.03
Q1: 16.74
Min: 1.00

AEM’s P/E Ratio of 25.48 is within the middle range for the Gold industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

CLF

-3.69

Steel Industry

Max: 24.65
Q3: 23.86
Median: 21.78
Q1: 15.59
Min: 7.61

CLF has a negative P/E Ratio of -3.69. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their P/E Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Forward P/E to Growth Ratio

AEM

-3.79

Gold Industry

Max: 14.01
Q3: 6.52
Median: 3.33
Q1: 0.82
Min: 0.05

The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Gold industry.

CLF

0.12

Steel Industry

Max: 3.14
Q3: 2.43
Median: 0.99
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.10

The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Steel industry.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their Forward PEG Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio

AEM

6.79

Gold Industry

Max: 15.12
Q3: 7.63
Median: 3.25
Q1: 2.30
Min: 0.79

AEM’s P/S Ratio of 6.79 aligns with the market consensus for the Gold industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

CLF

0.23

Steel Industry

Max: 1.22
Q3: 0.82
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.30
Min: 0.19

In the lower quartile for the Steel industry, CLF’s P/S Ratio of 0.23 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their P/S Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio

AEM

2.79

Gold Industry

Max: 6.10
Q3: 3.60
Median: 2.02
Q1: 1.35
Min: 0.26

AEM’s P/B Ratio of 2.79 is within the conventional range for the Gold industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

CLF

0.70

Steel Industry

Max: 2.37
Q3: 1.48
Median: 0.77
Q1: 0.59
Min: 0.38

CLF’s P/B Ratio of 0.70 is within the conventional range for the Steel industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

AEM vs. CLF: A comparison of their P/B Ratio against their respective Gold and Steel industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	AEM	CLF
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)	25.48	-3.69
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)	-3.79	0.12
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)	6.79	0.23
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)	2.79	0.70
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)	26.10	-4.14
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)	11.76	-189.00
EV-to-Sales (TTM)	6.80	0.64