B vs. KGC: Which Gold Mining Stock is the Better Pick Now?

By Anindya Barman | May 20, 2025, 6:13 AM

Barrick Mining Corporation B and Kinross Gold Corporation KGC are two prominent players in the gold mining space with global operations. While gold prices have fallen from their April 2025 highs amid U.S.-China trade negotiations and easing U.S. inflation, they remain favorable, aided by economic uncertainties, and are currently hovering above the $3,200 per ounce level. Amid this backdrop, comparing these two major gold producers is particularly relevant for investors seeking exposure to the precious metals sector.

Despite the recent pullback due to easing trade tensions, gold prices have gained roughly 23% this year. The aggressive trade policies, including sweeping new import tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, intensified global trade tensions and heightened investor anxiety, leading to the price rally. Also, central banks worldwide have been accumulating gold reserves, led by risks arising from Trump’s policies. Prices of the yellow metal catapulted to a record high of $3,500 per ounce on April 22 amid President Trump's criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and call for an immediate reduction in interest rates. Increased purchases by central banks, hopes of interest rate cuts, and geopolitical tensions are expected to support gold prices.

Let’s dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of these two Canada-based gold miners to determine which one is a better investment now.

The Case for Barrick

Barrick is well-placed to benefit from the progress in key growth projects that should significantly contribute to its production. Its major gold and copper growth projects, including Goldrush, the Pueblo Viejo plant expansion and mine life extension, Fourmile, Lumwana Super Pit and Reko Diq, are being executed. These projects are advancing on schedule and within budget, laying the groundwork for the next generation of profitable production.

The Goldrush mine is ramping up to a targeted 400,000 ounces of production per annum by 2028. Bordering Goldrush is the 100% Barrick-owned Fourmile, which is yielding grades double those of Goldrush and is anticipated to become another Tier One mine. The project has progressed to a prefeasibility study on the back of a successful drilling program. The Reko Diq copper-gold project in Pakistan is designed to produce 460,000 tons of copper and 520,000 ounces of gold annually in its second development phase. The first production is expected by the end of 2028.

In October 2024, Barrick announced the commencement of the development of a Super Pit at its Lumwana copper mine in Zambia. The Super Pit Expansion entails doubling the present process circuit's throughput and substantially boosting mining volumes. Upon completion, the $2 billion project has the potential to transform Lumwana into a long-term, high-yielding, top-25 copper producer and Tier One copper mine. The expansion is expected to deliver 240,000 tons of copper production annually over the life of the mine.

Barrick has a solid liquidity position and generates healthy cash flows, positioning it well to take advantage of attractive development, exploration and acquisition opportunities, drive shareholder value and reduce debt. At the end of first-quarter 2025, Barrick’s cash and cash equivalents were around $4.1 billion. It generated strong operating cash flows of roughly $1.2 billion in the quarter, up 59% year over year. Free cash flow surged to around $375 million in the first quarter from $32 million in the prior-year quarter. Barrick returned $1.2 billion to its shareholders in 2024 through dividends and repurchases. Barrick’s board, in February 2025, authorized a new program for the repurchase of up to $1 billion of its outstanding common shares. It repurchased shares worth $143 million under this program during the first quarter.

Barrick offers a healthy dividend yield of 2.2% at the current stock price. Its payout ratio is 28% (a ratio below 60% is a good indicator that the dividend will be sustainable), with a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of roughly 5.1%.

The Case for Kinross

Kinross has a strong production profile and boasts a promising pipeline of exploration and development projects. Its key development projects and exploration programs, including Great Bear in Ontario and Round Mountain Phase X in Nevada, remain on track. These projects are expected to boost production and cash flow and deliver significant value. KGC also completed the commissioning of its Manh Choh project and commenced production during the third quarter of 2024, leading to a substantial increase in cash flow at the Fort Knox operation.

Tasiast and Paracatu, the company’s two biggest assets, remain the key contributors to cash flow generation and production. Tasiast remains the lowest-cost asset within its portfolio, with consistently strong performance. Tasiast achieved record annual production and cash flow in 2024 and is on track to meet its full-year 2025 guidance. Paracatu saw a strong start to the year, with first-quarter production rising on strong grades and improved mill recoveries.

KGC has a strong liquidity position and generates substantial cash flows, which allows it to finance its development projects, pay down debt and drive shareholder value. The company ended the first quarter with solid liquidity of roughly $2.3 billion. Kinross also generated record free cash flows of around $1.3 billion in 2024, driven by the strength in gold prices and strong operating margins. Free cash flow also more than doubled year over year to $370.8 million in the first quarter.

KGC repaid $800 million of debt during 2024 and the remaining $200 million of its term loan in the first quarter, reducing its net debt to around $540 million. Its long-term debt-to-capitalization is 14.4% compared with Barrick’s 12.3%. KGC also offers a dividend yield of 0.9% at the current stock price. It has a payout ratio of 14%, with a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of about -0.1%.

Price Performance and Valuation of B & KGC

Year to date, Barrick stock has gained 17.4%, while KGC stock has rallied 50.6% compared with the Zacks Mining – Gold industry’s increase of 36.4%.