NioCorp Developments (NASDAQ:NB – Get Free Report) and Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC – Get Free Report) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, earnings, dividends and risk.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
4.0% of NioCorp Developments shares are owned by institutional investors. 19.1% of NioCorp Developments shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.1% of Lithium Americas shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Volatility and Risk
NioCorp Developments has a beta of -0.37, indicating that its stock price is 137% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Lithium Americas has a beta of 0.89, indicating that its stock price is 11% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings & Valuation
Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
NioCorp Developments | N/A | N/A | -$11.44 million | ($0.78) | -3.08 |
Lithium Americas | N/A | N/A | -$3.93 million | ($0.16) | -17.72 |
Lithium Americas is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than NioCorp Developments, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares NioCorp Developments and Lithium Americas’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
NioCorp Developments | N/A | -1,273.17% | -140.97% |
Lithium Americas | N/A | -5.59% | -5.29% |
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for NioCorp Developments and Lithium Americas, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
NioCorp Developments | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.00 |
Lithium Americas | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2.22 |
NioCorp Developments currently has a consensus price target of $4.13, indicating a potential upside of 71.88%. Lithium Americas has a consensus price target of $3.88, indicating a potential upside of 36.68%. Given NioCorp Developments’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe NioCorp Developments is more favorable than Lithium Americas.
About NioCorp Developments
NioCorp Developments Ltd. engages in the exploration and development of mineral deposits in North America. It owns and develops the Elk Creek niobium/scandium/titanium project that owns one 226.43-acre parcel of land and associated mineral rights, and an additional 40 acres of mineral rights, as well as an optioned land package that covers an area of 1,396 acres located in Johnson County, southeast Nebraska. The company was formerly known as Quantum Rare Earth Developments Corp. and changed its name to NioCorp Developments Ltd. in March 2013. NioCorp Developments Ltd. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Centennial, Colorado.
About Lithium Americas
Lithium Americas Corp. engages in the exploration and development of lithium properties in the United States and Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Thacker Pass project located in northern Nevada, as well as investments in exploration properties in the United States and Canada. Lithium Americas Corp. was incorporated in 2023 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
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