KIM vs REG vs FRT

For growth investors, Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is the stronger pick with 6.

3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 4% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) offers the better valuation at 24. 1x trailing P/E (39. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Regency Centers Corporation (REG) a "Buy" — based on 32 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.

On trailing P/E, Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is the cheapest at 24.

1x versus Kimco Realty Corporation at 28. 4x. On forward P/E, Kimco Realty Corporation is actually cheaper at 30. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Regency Centers Corporation wins at 0. 53x versus Federal Realty Investment Trust's 1. 65x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) delivered a total return of +47.

4%, compared to +24. 7% for Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: REG returned +33. 0% versus FRT's +0. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

36β versus Federal Realty Investment Trust's 0. 55β — meaning FRT is approximately 52% more volatile than REG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 82% versus 144% for Federal Realty Investment Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is pulling ahead at 6.

3% versus 3. 4% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kimco Realty Corporation grew EPS 50. 9% year-over-year, compared to 33. 6% for Regency Centers Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, KIM leads at 7. 4% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the more profitable company, earning 33.

9% net margin versus 27. 3% for Kimco Realty Corporation — meaning it keeps 33. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: REG leads at 37. 0% versus 35. 2% for KIM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KIM leads at 54. 7%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 53x versus Federal Realty Investment Trust's 1. 65x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) trades at 30. 5x forward P/E versus 39. 9x for Federal Realty Investment Trust — 9. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KIM: 3. 0% to $24. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) offers the highest yield at 4. 5%, versus 3. 6% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

36), 3. 6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (REG: +33. 0%, FRT: +0. 2%), 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.

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.

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.