CDE vs. HL: Which Gold Miner Offers Better Value Today?

Core Insights - Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE) and Hecla Mining Company (HL) are positioned favorably as gold and silver markets show strong momentum, attracting investor interest into early 2026 [1][2] Coeur Mining (CDE) - CDE has demonstrated strong operational performance with record quarterly production and financial results, reporting $555 million in revenue and producing 111,364 ounces of gold and 4.8 million ounces of silver in Q3 2025 [3][10] - The acquisition of the Las Chispas mine has been a key growth driver, contributing 1.6 million ounces of silver and approximately 16.5 thousand ounces of gold in Q3 2025 [4] - CDE's flagship assets, including Rochester and Palmarejo, are expected to deliver a total production of 392,500–438,000 ounces of gold and 17.1–19.2 million ounces of silver for 2025 [5] - As of September 2025, CDE's cash and cash equivalents were approximately $266 million, with a debt to capital ratio of 10.5% and free cash flow of about $189 million in Q3 [6][10] Hecla Mining (HL) - HL reported record revenues of $409.5 million in Q3 2025, a 67% increase year-over-year, alongside strong production metrics [7][10] - The company produced about 4.6 million ounces of silver, with silver contributing nearly 48% of mine-site revenues and gold about 37% [8] - HL achieved a realized silver price of approximately $42.58 per ounce and a realized gold price of about $3,509 per ounce in Q3 2025, benefiting from strong pricing [9] - By the end of September 2025, HL's cash and cash equivalents were around $134 million, with a debt to capital ratio of 9.9% and free cash flow of about $91 million [13][10] Comparative Performance - CDE's stock has increased by 308.8% over the past year, while HL's stock has risen by 398.9% [14] - CDE is trading at a forward 12-month sales multiple of 6.14X, compared to HL's 12.58X [15] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CDE's fiscal 2025 sales implies a year-over-year growth of 96%, while HL's estimates suggest a 42.1% rise [19][21] Investment Outlook - CDE is viewed as a more compelling investment due to its strong Q3 performance, higher cash reserves, and lower valuation compared to HL [24][25] - CDE's combination of production scale and margin efficiency positions it as the preferred stock, while HL remains an attractive buy for diversified precious-metal exposure [25]