AU vs. SAND: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AU and SAND, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AU’s market capitalization of 23.52 billion USD is substantially larger than SAND’s 2.82 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 0.49 for AU and 0.65 for SAND, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AU | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AngloGold Ashanti Plc | Sandstorm Gold Ltd. |
| Country | GB | CA |
| Sector | Basic Materials | Basic Materials |
| Industry | Gold | Gold |
| CEO | Alberto Calderon Zuleta BA Econ, Econ, Law, M Phil Econ, | Nolan Allan Watson BComm, CA, FCPA |
| Price | 46.71 USD | 9.63 USD |
| Market Cap | 23.52 billion USD | 2.82 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.49 | 0.65 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | August 5, 1998 | February 22, 2010 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AU and SAND 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AU
25.86%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 25.86%
- Q3
- 12.48%
- Median
- 8.15%
- Q1
- 2.34%
- Min
- -3.82%
In the upper quartile for the Gold industry, AU’s Return on Equity of 25.86% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
SAND
2.03%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 25.86%
- Q3
- 12.48%
- Median
- 8.15%
- Q1
- 2.34%
- Min
- -3.82%
SAND’s Return on Equity of 2.03% is in the lower quartile for the Gold industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
Return on Invested Capital
AU
12.23%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 20.84%
- Q3
- 9.90%
- Median
- 5.11%
- Q1
- 1.36%
- Min
- -10.62%
In the upper quartile for the Gold industry, AU’s Return on Invested Capital of 12.23% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
SAND
3.43%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 20.84%
- Q3
- 9.90%
- Median
- 5.11%
- Q1
- 1.36%
- Min
- -10.62%
SAND’s Return on Invested Capital of 3.43% is in line with the norm for the Gold industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
AU
17.91%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 26.48%
- Q3
- 21.01%
- Median
- 16.48%
- Q1
- 8.22%
- Min
- -6.63%
AU’s Net Profit Margin of 17.91% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Gold industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
SAND
15.80%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 26.48%
- Q3
- 21.01%
- Median
- 16.48%
- Q1
- 8.22%
- Min
- -6.63%
SAND’s Net Profit Margin of 15.80% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Gold industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AU
29.67%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 67.43%
- Q3
- 40.39%
- Median
- 30.64%
- Q1
- 19.83%
- Min
- -9.84%
AU’s Operating Profit Margin of 29.67% is around the midpoint for the Gold industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
SAND
51.64%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 67.43%
- Q3
- 40.39%
- Median
- 30.64%
- Q1
- 19.83%
- Min
- -9.84%
An Operating Profit Margin of 51.64% places SAND 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.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AU | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 25.86% | 2.03% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.37% | 1.59% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 12.23% | 3.43% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.91% | 15.80% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.67% | 51.64% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 35.78% | 57.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AU
2.34
Gold Industry
- Max
- 4.98
- Q3
- 3.76
- Median
- 2.34
- Q1
- 1.51
- Min
- 0.52
AU’s Current Ratio of 2.34 aligns with the median group of the Gold industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
SAND
1.77
Gold Industry
- Max
- 4.98
- Q3
- 3.76
- Median
- 2.34
- Q1
- 1.51
- Min
- 0.52
SAND’s Current Ratio of 1.77 aligns with the median group of the Gold industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AU
0.33
Gold Industry
- Max
- 0.67
- Q3
- 0.34
- Median
- 0.17
- Q1
- 0.06
- Min
- 0.00
AU’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.33 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.
SAND
0.24
Gold Industry
- Max
- 0.67
- Q3
- 0.34
- Median
- 0.17
- Q1
- 0.06
- Min
- 0.00
SAND’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.24 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.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AU
14.20
Gold Industry
- Max
- 45.23
- Q3
- 25.79
- Median
- 13.44
- Q1
- 2.91
- Min
- -6.26
AU’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 14.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Gold industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SAND
2.91
Gold Industry
- Max
- 45.23
- Q3
- 25.79
- Median
- 13.44
- Q1
- 2.91
- Min
- -6.26
SAND’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.91 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Gold industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AU | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.34 | 1.77 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.57 | 1.77 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.33 | 0.24 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.17 | 0.19 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.25 | 2.55 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 14.20 | 2.91 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AU and SAND. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AU
0.27%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 3.65%
- Q3
- 1.37%
- Median
- 0.47%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AU’s Dividend Yield of 0.27% is consistent with its peers in the Gold industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SAND
0.61%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 3.65%
- Q3
- 1.37%
- Median
- 0.47%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SAND’s Dividend Yield of 0.61% is consistent with its peers in the Gold industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AU
45.43%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 110.70%
- Q3
- 42.09%
- Median
- 15.45%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AU’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.43% is in the upper quartile for the Gold industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
SAND
59.13%
Gold Industry
- Max
- 110.70%
- Q3
- 42.09%
- Median
- 15.45%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
SAND’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 59.13% is in the upper quartile for the Gold industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AU | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.27% | 0.61% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.43% | 59.13% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AU
16.93
Gold Industry
- Max
- 64.00
- Q3
- 46.06
- Median
- 29.03
- Q1
- 16.74
- Min
- 1.00
AU’s P/E Ratio of 16.93 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.
SAND
98.43
Gold Industry
- Max
- 64.00
- Q3
- 46.06
- Median
- 29.03
- Q1
- 16.74
- Min
- 1.00
At 98.43, SAND’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Gold industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AU
-0.86
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.
SAND
3.57
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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AU
3.03
Gold Industry
- Max
- 15.12
- Q3
- 7.63
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.79
AU’s P/S Ratio of 3.03 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.
SAND
15.44
Gold Industry
- Max
- 15.12
- Q3
- 7.63
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 2.30
- Min
- 0.79
With a P/S Ratio of 15.44, SAND trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Gold industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AU
3.47
Gold Industry
- Max
- 6.10
- Q3
- 3.60
- Median
- 2.02
- Q1
- 1.35
- Min
- 0.26
AU’s P/B Ratio of 3.47 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.
SAND
2.03
Gold Industry
- Max
- 6.10
- Q3
- 3.60
- Median
- 2.02
- Q1
- 1.35
- Min
- 0.26
SAND’s P/B Ratio of 2.03 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AU | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 16.93 | 98.43 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -0.86 | 3.57 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.03 | 15.44 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 3.47 | 2.03 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 18.13 | 21.15 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 7.94 | 23.99 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.13 | 17.28 |