Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) vs Ventas, Inc. (VTR) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CTRE | 108.7% revenue growth vs VTR's 18.5% |
| Value | CTRE | Lower P/E (27.1x vs 114.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | CTRE | 80.6% net margin vs VTR's 4.3% |
| Stability / Safety | CTRE | Beta 0.17 vs VTR's 0.23 |
| Dividends | CTRE | 3.1% yield; 2-year raise streak; VTR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CTRE | +62.2% vs VTR's +27.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CTRE | 5.1% ROA vs VTR's 0.9%, ROIC 10.1% vs 2.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
CareTrust REIT is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and leases skilled nursing facilities, senior housing, and other medical properties across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with skilled nursing facilities representing its largest segment. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate expertise and relationships with quality operators in a fragmented industry.
Ventas is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and operates senior housing communities, medical office buildings, and life science research facilities. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its diversified portfolio — roughly 60% from senior housing, 25% from medical office buildings, and 15% from life science and hospital properties. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale, diversified healthcare property portfolio, and long-term relationships with leading healthcare operators across multiple care settings.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CTRE leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VTR is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.6B annually — 17.1x CTRE's $324M. CTRE is the more profitable business, keeping 80.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VTR's 4.3%. On growth, CTRE holds the edge at +82.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $324M | $5.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $262M | $2.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $261M | $238M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $334M | $1.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +96.6% | +42.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +55.7% | +14.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +80.6% | +4.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +103.2% | +20.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +82.4% | +20.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +66.7% | +2.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 25.9x trailing earnings, CTRE trades at a 84% valuation discount to VTR's 159.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CTRE's 15.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than VTR's 24.1x.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.0B | $40.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.8B | $53.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 25.87x | 159.56x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 27.11x | 114.29x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.22x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.72x | 24.07x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 18.99x | 6.93x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.05x | 3.08x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 22.96x | 31.53x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CTRE delivers a 6.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $7 in annual profit, vs $2 for VTR. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VTR scores 7/9 vs CTRE's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.5% | +1.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.1% | +0.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +10.1% | +2.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +11.0% | +3.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$198M | $12.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $198M | $786M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $13.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.76x | 1.35x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CTRE five years ago would be worth $20,333 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $18,063 for VTR. Over the past 12 months, CTRE leads with a +62.2% total return vs VTR's +27.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CTRE at 31.0% vs VTR's 23.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.9% | +11.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +62.2% | +27.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +124.9% | +88.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +103.3% | +80.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +343.7% | +97.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +31.0% | +23.5% |
Risk & Volatility
CTRE is the less volatile stock with a 0.17 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VTR's 0.23 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.17x | 0.23x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $41.72 | $87.87 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $25.48 | $60.15 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.4% | +98.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 69.8 | 77.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CTRE as "Buy" and VTR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 3.7% upside for CTRE (target: $42) vs 2.9% for VTR (target: $89). CTRE is the only dividend payer here at 3.13% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… | VTRVentas, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $42.11 | $88.70 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 19 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.1% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.27 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 100 | 171.58 | +71.6% |
| Ventas, Inc. (VTR) | 100 | 147.84 | +47.8% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) returned +103% over 5 years vs Ventas, Inc. (VTR)'s +81%. A $10,000 investment in CTRE 5 years ago would be worth $20,333 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | $104M | $476M | +358.3% |
| Ventas, Inc. (VTR) | $3.4B | $5.8B | +69.4% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s revenue grew from $104M (2016) to $476M (2025) — a 18.4% CAGR. Ventas, Inc.'s revenue grew from $3.4B (2016) to $5.8B (2025) — a 6.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 28.2% | 67.3% | +138.3% |
| Ventas, Inc. (VTR) | 18.9% | 4.3% | -77.1% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s net margin went from 28% (2016) to 67% (2025). Ventas, Inc.'s net margin went from 19% (2016) to 4% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 46.6 | 23 | -50.6% |
| Ventas, Inc. (VTR) | 15.9 | 143.3 | +801.3% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc. has traded in a 23x–103x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x. Ventas, Inc. has traded in a 16x–393x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~160x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 0.52 | 1.57 | +201.9% |
| Ventas, Inc. (VTR) | 1.86 | 0.54 | -71.0% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.52 (2016) to $1.57 (2025) — a 13% CAGR. Ventas, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.86 (2016) to $0.54 (2025) — a -13% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CareTrust REIT, Inc. generated $394M FCF in 2025 (+161% vs 2021). Ventas, Inc. generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+116% vs 2021).
CTRE vs VTR: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CTRE or VTR a better buy right now?
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) offers the better valuation at 25.9x trailing P/E (27.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) a "Buy" — based on 19 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — CTRE or VTR?
On trailing P/E, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the cheapest at 25.9x versus Ventas, Inc. at 159.6x. On forward P/E, CareTrust REIT, Inc. is actually cheaper at 27.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CTRE or VTR?
Over the past 5 years, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) delivered a total return of +103.3%, compared to +80.6% for Ventas, Inc. (VTR). A $10,000 investment in CTRE five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CTRE returned +343.7% versus VTR's +97.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CTRE or VTR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.17β versus Ventas, Inc.'s 0.23β — meaning VTR is approximately 38% more volatile than CTRE relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — CTRE or VTR?
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the more profitable company, earning 67.3% net margin versus 4.3% for Ventas, Inc. — meaning it keeps 67.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CTRE leads at 98.7% versus 14.2% for VTR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CTRE leads at 98.9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is CTRE or VTR more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) trades at 27.1x forward P/E versus 114.3x for Ventas, Inc. — 87.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CTRE: 3.7% to $42.11.
07Which pays a better dividend — CTRE or VTR?
In this comparison, CTRE (3.1% yield) pays a dividend. VTR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CTRE or VTR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.17), 3.1% yield, +343.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CTRE: +343.7%, VTR: +97.3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between CTRE and VTR?
Both stocks operate in the Real Estate sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: CTRE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; VTR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. CTRE pays a dividend while VTR does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.