Iamgold (NYSE:IAG – Get Free Report) and SunCoke Energy (NYSE:SXC – Get Free Report) are both materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, valuation, profitability and analyst recommendations.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
47.1% of Iamgold shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 90.5% of SunCoke Energy shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Iamgold shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.7% of SunCoke Energy shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Iamgold and SunCoke Energy”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Iamgold | $2.85 billion | 3.93 | $664.40 million | $1.98 | 9.94 |
| SunCoke Energy | $1.84 billion | 0.44 | -$44.20 million | ($0.64) | -14.98 |
Iamgold has higher revenue and earnings than SunCoke Energy. SunCoke Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Iamgold, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares Iamgold and SunCoke Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Iamgold | 31.40% | 28.97% | 20.87% |
| SunCoke Energy | -2.88% | 6.37% | 2.28% |
Risk and Volatility
Iamgold has a beta of 1.4, meaning that its share price is 40% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, SunCoke Energy has a beta of 1.02, meaning that its share price is 2% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Iamgold and SunCoke Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Iamgold | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2.90 |
| SunCoke Energy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
Iamgold presently has a consensus price target of $21.83, indicating a potential upside of 10.91%. SunCoke Energy has a consensus price target of $9.00, indicating a potential downside of 6.13%. Given Iamgold’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Iamgold is more favorable than SunCoke Energy.
Summary
Iamgold beats SunCoke Energy on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Iamgold
IAMGOLD Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an intermediate gold producer and developer in Canada and Burkina Faso. It owns 100% interest in the Westwood project that covers an area of 1,925 hectare and located in Quebec; a 60% interest in the Côté gold project, which covers an area of 596 square kilometer located in Ontario, Canada; and a 90% interests in the Essakane project that covers an area of 274,000 square kilometer situated in Burkina Faso. IAMGOLD Corporation was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
About SunCoke Energy
SunCoke Energy, Inc. operates as an independent producer of coke in the Americas and Brazil. The company operates through three segments: Domestic Coke, Brazil Coke, and Logistics. It offers metallurgical and thermal coal. The company also provides handling and/or mixing services to steel, coke, electric utility, coal producing, and other manufacturing based customers. In addition, it owns and operates cokemaking facilities in the United States and Brazil. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Lisle, Illinois.
Receive News & Ratings for Iamgold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Iamgold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
