ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. trades at $16.67 (market cap $2.07B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.89. The key difference: ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. pays a 17.28% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARR | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $2.07B | — |
Sector | Financials | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $19.12 | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $14.05 | $62.49 |
Dividend Yield | 17.28% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARR trades at $16.67, up 0.79% today, with a neutral technical signal and mixed earnings history. The stock shows strong profitability with a net income margin of 97.43% and a low P/E of 3.78, but revenue volatility and high investing cash outflows pose concerns. Recent dividends of $0.24 per share highlight income appeal, while analyst consensus is predominantly hold.
Outlook is cautious due to inconsistent EPS performance and significant cash flow swings, though valuation metrics suggest potential undervaluation. Risks include earnings misses and macroeconomic sensitivity, but the high dividend yield and low P/B ratio offer value for income-focused investors amid neutral market sentiment.
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, trades at $82.98 with a 0.57% daily gain amid bullish technical signals from moving averages. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold reached two-month highs above $4,430/oz following cooling CPI data. While oscillators show bearish signals with RSI at overbought levels, institutional interest remains strong with Deane Retirement Strategies increasing its stake by 36.5% in the latest quarter.
Outlook remains positive as gold gains support from inflation dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Key risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. The 0.25% expense ratio makes IAU attractive for conservative investors seeking gold exposure with lower volatility compared to mining stocks.
Trailing returns across standard periods
ARMOUR Residential REIT Inc is a real estate investment trust that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities or RMBS. These are issued or guaranteed by U.S.-government-sponsored enterprises, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. The company's investment portfolio is composed of mortgage-backed securities, adjustable-rate mortgage securities, and multifamily mortgage-backed securities. In terms of total fair value, most Armour's investments are long-term, fixed-rate agency RMBS. Multifamily RMBS also represents a substantial amount. Fannie Mae guarantees most of the company's holdings. Armour derives substantially all its revenue as interest income from its investments.
Read more on ARR →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 →