AES Corp vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.72 (market cap $10.49B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.95. The key difference: AES Corp pays a 4.79% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.49B | — |
Sector | Utilities | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $62.49 |
Enterprise Value | $40.75B | — |
Dividend Yield | 4.79% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.725, down 0.03% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company shows strong profitability with a 14.34% net income margin and a low P/E of 5.51. Recent news highlights a pending $33.4 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, approved by stockholders in June 2026, alongside a quarterly dividend of $0.17595 per share.
The stock offers a high dividend yield and appears undervalued based on earnings, but faces risks from the acquisition's regulatory scrutiny and a recent earnings miss. Upside is capped near the $15 buyout price if the deal closes, while downside exists if approvals fail. Analyst sentiment is mixed with no sell ratings but a majority on hold.
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) trades at $82.76, up 0.3% on the day, with technical indicators showing mixed signals - a bullish moving average trend but overbought RSI levels. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as inflation data aligns with expectations and geopolitical tensions boost safe-haven demand. Recent news highlights gold's strong performance with spot prices reaching $4,438/oz following July CPI data.
The outlook remains positive given gold's defensive characteristics amid economic uncertainty, though overbought technical conditions suggest potential near-term consolidation. Key risks include Federal Reserve policy shifts and dollar strength, while institutional buying and central bank demand provide underlying support.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →