Can IAMGOLD's Dual Chibougamau Buyouts Fulfill its Growth Ambition?

IAMGOLD Corp. IAG recently closed two pivotal acquisitions that significantly bolster its land position and resource base in the Chibougamau-Chapais mining district of Quebec, Canada, a region rapidly emerging as one of North America’s premier gold exploration and development hubs. 

IAG Builds Scale Through Northern Superior and Orbec Deals

IAMGOLD on Dec. 19, 2025, completed its acquisition of Northern Superior Resources Inc., consolidating key deposits Philibert, Chevrier and Croteau with its nearby Nelligan and Monster Lake projects in Quebec. The transaction was executed through a court-approved plan of arrangement, under which Northern Superior shareholders received 0.0991 IAMGOLD shares plus C$0.19 in cash per share, valuing the deal at approximately C$2.05 per share, or about $267.4 million in total.  

The combined assets, now known as the Nelligan Mining Complex, are estimated to contain around 3.75 million ounces of Measured & Indicated gold resources and 8.65 million ounces of Inferred resources, placing it among Canada’s largest pre-production gold camps and supporting IAMGOLD’s strategy to develop a centralized processing hub within a 17-km project radius. 

On Dec. 22, 2025, IAMGOLD completed its acquisition of Mines d’Or Orbec Inc., adding the Muus Project to its portfolio through a court-approved plan of arrangement and further strengthening its land position in the Chibougamau district. Under the terms announced in October 2025, Orbec shareholders received C$0.0625 in cash and 0.003466 IAMGOLD shares per share, valuing the transaction at approximately C$17.2 million and representing a 25% premium at the time of announcement. The 24,979-hectare Muus Project, located adjacent to the expanded Nelligan Mining Complex, enhances IAMGOLD’s exploration upside by consolidating ground along key regional mineralized structures. 

Among its peers, in December 2025, Coeur Mining, Inc. CDE finalized a landmark all-stock agreement to acquire New Gold Inc., originally signed on Nov. 2, 2025. Under the court-approved plan of arrangement, New Gold shareholders will receive 0.4959 shares of Coeur Mining for each New Gold share, valuing the transaction at about $7 billion and giving them roughly 38% ownership of the combined company. Expected to close in the first half of 2026, the deal will expand Coeur Mining’s portfolio to seven North American operations, adding Rainy River and New Afton in Canada and positioning the merged entity to generate around $3 billion in EBITDA and $2 billion in free cash flow in 2026. 

Gold Royalty Corp. GROY completed a major acquisition that significantly strengthened its portfolio and future revenue streams. On Dec. 12, 2025, the company announced the closing of its purchase of an existing royalty on the Pedra Branca copper and gold mine in Brazil for $70 million in cash. Through this transaction, Gold Royalty obtained a 25% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on gold production and a 2% NSR royalty on copper and other metals from the Pedra Branca West and East deposits, ensuring ongoing royalty income from this operating mine beyond Dec. 31, 2025. This acquisition broadens Gold Royalty’s portfolio of high-quality, cash-generating royalty assets. 

The Zacks Rundown for IAG

Shares of IAG have popped 120.4% in the past six months compared with its industry’s 59.2% rise.

From a valuation perspective, IAG is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales of 3.76X, matching the industry’s average. It carries a Value Score of B. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IAG for 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 62% and 85.4%, respectively. 

The consensus estimates for EPS for fiscal 2025 and 2026 have been trending higher over the past 60 days.

IAG currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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