11
Best Gold Stocks of 2026
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Compare the Best Gold Stocks To Buy
Methodology: How We Score Our Products
At Forbes Advisor, we go beyond listing the year’s top-performing stocks. Past returns don’t always tell the full story and guarantee future performance. For that reason, we consult investment research-based systems to help identify and exclude stocks that may carry higher risks.
Our curated list of the best gold stocks is built using strict criteria. The stocks outlined above are traded on U.S. or Canadian stock exchanges and meet the following requirements:
Strong Stock Performance: Gold stocks should perform at least as well as gold. Therefore, at the time of compiling, stocks on the list performed at least as well as gold over the last year.
Market Capitalization of $2 Billion or More: Companies with a market cap over $2 billion are midcaps or larger, selected for greater financial stability compared with micro or small cap companies.
Altimeter Overall Grade of B or Higher: Only stocks rated “B” or above by The Stock Altimeter ranking by investment research firm Altimetry are included.
With the Altimeter ranking, stocks are assigned letter grades A through F based on an accounting analysis that combs through company financial statements.
Stocks that score B or better rank in the top quarter of over 5,000 companies in Altimetry’s stock rating database, signaling strong potential for improving returns and favorable valuations. B-ranked stocks represent above-average financials, while A-ranked stocks are estimated to have market-beating potential.
Positive Earnings-Per-Share Growth: For our analysis, we looked at stocks that are expected to deliver positive EPS growth in the next year. These stocks have also delivered a positive EPS for the past 12 months. This is an indicator of strong financial and profitability performance.
Best-Performing Gold Stocks
While the highest returns might look flashy, it’s important to remember that a stock’s performance is backward-looking and not an indicator of future returns. That’s why we curated a shortlist of stocks above based on methodologies to screen for risks.
Listed below are the top-performing gold stocks based on year-to-date returns.
What Are Gold Stocks?
Gold stocks are public companies that extract, process, finance and trade gold. The best gold stocks on our list above are focused on either gold mining or gold streaming.
Gold mining is the practice of extracting gold ore from the earth and processing it into gold bullion. Gold streaming is the provision of upfront financing of gold miners in exchange for the option to buy finished gold bullion at a discount in the future.
The share prices of gold stocks do not directly track the day-to-day price of gold in commodities markets. But their revenues are correlated with gold prices. Overall, investors who own gold stocks aim to benefit from changes in the price of gold without having to own or store physical gold themselves.
How To Buy Gold Stocks
You can purchase gold stocks the same way you purchase any stock for your portfolio.
First, research gold companies and decide how much money you intend to invest in gold stocks. After doing your due diligence, log in to your brokerage account.
From your brokerage account, choose the stock you want to buy, the price at which you want to purchase it, and how many shares of the stock you wish to own. Once you have decided on these factors, you can purchase the stock. It will join the other investments in your portfolio.
As with any investment, however, we recommend you consult with a financial advisor before making any final decision.
Which Is Better: Owning Gold or Gold Stocks?
Whether you choose to buy physical gold or gold stocks depends on your own goals and requirements.
If you have the space to store gold and want to own a tangible asset, physical gold may be the better choice. But if you’re simply looking to profit from changes in gold prices, gold stocks may be a better bet.
Both physical gold and gold stocks have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Not all gold mining stocks are created equally. Gold stocks can offer some hedge-like characteristics, but they’re still equities—meaning they carry market risk. When fear drives investors out of riskier assets, physical gold or ETFs backed by bullion tend to hold up better.
– Michelle Taylor, a financial podcaster and founder of Women in Wealth, a platform for connecting other women to improve their finances
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best gold stock to buy?
Gold stocks that are favored by investors include Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (AEM) and Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS).
But you’ll need to examine your own investing approach and risk tolerance before deciding which is the best gold stock for you.
When should you buy gold stocks?
The goal of purchasing any stock is to buy low and sell high. Timing the market can be a difficult task. Gold is typically a “flight to quality” investment with lower correlations to the overall market. Gold mining equities tend to be subject to company-specific risks, whereas royalty companies within the gold sector perform similarly to the underlying commodity.
Are gold stocks a good investment?
Every investment has advantages and disadvantages—gold stocks are no different. Gold mining stocks have performed well in the past 12 months, evidenced by the performance of the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX).