GDX vs GDXJ Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
GDX and GDXJ both provide exposure to gold mining companies rather than physical gold, but GDX focuses on larger, established senior mining companies, while GDXJ focuses on smaller, earlier-stage junior mining companies with generally higher volatility and greater potential leverage to gold price movements.
GDX offers exposure to more established, larger mining operations with somewhat more stability, while GDXJ offers exposure to smaller, earlier-stage companies with greater potential upside leverage but higher volatility and operational risk. The decision depends on your risk tolerance and view on gold price direction, since junior miners tend to amplify both gains and losses relative to senior miners.
GDX holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. GDX has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+9.63% vs +5.65% for GDXJ).
- Want exposure to established, larger-capitalization gold mining companies
- Prefer somewhat more operational stability than earlier-stage mining companies offer
- Seek leveraged exposure to gold prices through mining company operating leverage
- Have moderate risk tolerance for sector-specific mining company volatility
- Want greater potential upside leverage to rising gold prices
- Are comfortable with the higher volatility and risk of smaller, earlier-stage mining companies
- Seek exposure to exploration and development-stage growth potential
- Have a higher risk tolerance appropriate for junior mining sector investments
| Metric | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 27.1 | 26.8 |
| Latest closei | $77.60 | $95.09 |
| 1M returni | -11.60% | -16.33% |
| 3M returni | -0.41% | -6.70% |
| 6M returni | -9.57% | -15.97% |
| 1Y returni | +9.63% | +5.65% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.04K (+10.4%) started 2025-11-03 | $10.8K (+8.0%) started 2025-11-03 |
| 5Y ago | $28.13K (+181.3%) started 2021-11-04 | $25.78K (+157.8%) started 2021-11-04 |
| 10Y ago | $37.77K (+277.7%) started 2016-11-04 | $31.54K (+215.4%) started 2016-11-04 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.51% | 0.52% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $26.25B | $8.37B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.72% | 2.33% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 12.31 | 10.95 |
| Betai | 0.72 | 0.91 |
| 52-week change | 9.63% | 5.65% |
| Metric | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +9.63% | +5.65% |
| 6M returni | -9.57% | -15.97% |
| 3M returni | -0.41% | -6.70% |
| 1M returni | -11.60% | -16.33% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.35 | 0.30 |
| Betai | 0.72 | 0.91 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.72% | 2.33% |
| 5Y CAGR | +21.25% | +18.93% |
Over the past year, GDX and GDXJ have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.99), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +9.63% | +5.65% |
| CAGRi | +9.63% | +5.65% | |
| Volatilityi | 50.41% | 55.87% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.35 | 0.30 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.48 | 0.41 | |
| Max drawdowni | 38.93% | 41.32% | |
| Current drawdowni | 33.01% | 39.12% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 17.34% | 19.22% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 20.98% | 23.13% | |
| Max daily dropi | 12.76% | 13.63% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 16.52% | 17.19% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +161.95% | +137.84% |
| CAGRi | +21.25% | +18.93% | |
| Volatilityi | 38.37% | 43.17% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.58 | 0.52 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.83 | 0.74 | |
| Max drawdowni | 46.51% | 48.79% | |
| Current drawdowni | 33.01% | 39.12% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 17.18% | 19.19% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 21.02% | 23.02% | |
| Max daily dropi | 12.76% | 13.63% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 16.52% | 17.19% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +241.33% | +167.42% |
| CAGRi | +13.07% | +10.34% | |
| Volatilityi | 37.50% | 44.16% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.40 | 0.34 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.57 | 0.49 | |
| Max drawdowni | 49.79% | 57.78% | |
| Current drawdowni | 33.01% | 39.12% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 17.35% | 23.95% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 20.62% | 27.45% | |
| Max daily dropi | 22.82% | 26.27% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 35.40% | 44.74% |
| Category | GDX | GDXJ |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | VanEck Gold Miners ETF | VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.51% | 0.52% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $26.25B | $8.37B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.72% | 2.33% |
- Concentration in larger, more established gold mining companies with generally more mature and diversified production operations
- Provides leveraged exposure to gold price movements through mining company operating leverage, often amplifying moves in the underlying gold price
- Larger, more liquid mining companies tend to have more diversified mine portfolios, reducing single-mine operational risk
- Junior mining companies can offer greater potential upside leverage to rising gold prices due to their smaller size and higher operational leverage
- Exposure to earlier-stage exploration and development companies provides access to potential future production growth not yet reflected in senior miner valuations
- Diversification across many smaller mining companies within a single fund reduces single-company risk relative to holding individual junior miners directly
- Mining companies carry operational risks beyond gold price movements, including production costs, geopolitical risk, and mine-specific operational issues
- Even senior gold miners can be more volatile than physical gold itself due to operating leverage and company-specific factors
- Performance depends on both gold price trends and the operational execution of the underlying mining companies, adding a layer of complexity beyond simple gold price exposure
- Junior mining companies carry substantially higher operational, financial, and execution risk than established senior miners, given their earlier-stage development status
- Higher volatility relative to senior gold mining companies and physical gold, with the potential for larger drawdowns during periods of declining gold prices or company-specific setbacks
- Smaller, less liquid underlying companies can experience more erratic price behavior, particularly during periods of market stress or reduced trading volume
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