Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) vs Welltower Inc. (WELL) 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 | WELL | 38.0% revenue growth vs MPW's -2.4% |
| Value | MPW | Lower P/E (47.6x vs 73.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | WELL | 8.6% net margin vs MPW's -20.4% |
| Stability / Safety | WELL | Beta 0.29 vs MPW's 0.72 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | WELL | +36.8% vs MPW's -2.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | WELL | 1.4% ROA vs MPW's -1.3% |
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
Medical Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust that acquires and leases hospital facilities to healthcare operators. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with hospital operators across nine countries. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in hospital real estate and its ability to provide capital solutions that allow operators to monetize their real estate assets while maintaining operational control.
Welltower is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and invests in seniors housing communities, post-acute care facilities, and outpatient medical properties. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its healthcare real estate portfolio — with seniors housing contributing roughly 60% of net operating income, outpatient medical properties about 25%, and post-acute care facilities the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale and strategic partnerships with leading healthcare operators, creating a diversified portfolio concentrated in high-growth markets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
WELL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). MPW leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WELL is the larger business by revenue, generating $10.8B annually — 11.1x MPW's $972M. WELL is the more profitable business, keeping 8.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MPW's -20.4%. On growth, WELL holds the edge at +46.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $972M | $10.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $663M | $2.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$199M | $934M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $2.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +55.7% | +20.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +38.1% | +4.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -20.4% | +8.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +23.7% | +19.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +14.9% | +46.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +123.2% | -26.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, WELL's 54.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than MPW's 100.9x.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.2B | $144.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.8B | $142.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -16.48x | 149.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 47.59x | 73.28x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 100.95x | 54.40x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.34x | 13.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.71x | 3.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.07x | 50.06x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WELL delivers a 2.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $2 in annual profit, vs $-4 for MPW. MPW carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to WELL's 0.07x.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.3% | +2.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.3% | +1.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +0.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$413M | -$2.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $541M | $5.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $128M | $2.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 0.81x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in WELL five years ago would be worth $32,119 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,351 for MPW. Over the past 12 months, WELL leads with a +36.8% total return vs MPW's -2.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WELL at 42.6% vs MPW's -11.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -2.2% | +36.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -31.0% | +190.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.5% | +221.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +24.1% | +270.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -11.6% | +42.6% |
Risk & Volatility
WELL is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MPW's 0.72 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WELL currently trades 96.1% from its 52-week high vs MPW's 85.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.72x | 0.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.34 | $215.56 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.95 | $130.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.8% | +96.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 64.2 | 69.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.7M | 2.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MPW as "Hold" and WELL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 6.9% upside for WELL (target: $221) vs -8.1% for MPW (target: $5).
| Metric | MPWMedical Propertie… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.00 | $221.45 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 100 | 22.53 | -77.5% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 100 | 249.04 | +149.0% |
Welltower Inc. (WELL) returned +221% over 5 years vs Medical Properties … (MPW)'s -56%. A $10,000 investment in WELL 5 years ago would be worth $32,119 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | $541M | $972M | +79.6% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | $4.3B | $10.8B | +154.9% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $541M (2016) to $972M (2025) — a 6.7% CAGR. Welltower Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.3B (2016) to $10.8B (2025) — a 11.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 41.6% | -20.4% | -149.2% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 25.4% | 8.6% | -65.9% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 42% (2016) to -20% (2025). Welltower Inc.'s net margin went from 25% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 16.8 | 7.4 | -56.0% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 50.6 | 133.5 | +163.8% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has traded in a 6x–27x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-16x. Welltower Inc. has traded in a 27x–219x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~149x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Properties … (MPW) | 0.86 | -0.33 | -138.4% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 2.81 | 1.39 | -50.5% |
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.86 (2016) to $-0.33 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Welltower Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.81 (2016) to $1.39 (2025) — a -8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Medical Properties Trust, Inc. generated $231M FCF in 2025 (-69% vs 2021). Welltower Inc. generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+129% vs 2021).
MPW vs WELL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MPW or WELL a better buy right now?
Welltower Inc. (WELL) offers the better valuation at 149.0x trailing P/E (73.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Welltower Inc. (WELL) a "Buy" — based on 34 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 — MPW or WELL?
On forward P/E, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. is actually cheaper at 47.6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MPW or WELL?
Over the past 5 years, Welltower Inc. (WELL) delivered a total return of +221.2%, compared to -56.5% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW). A $10,000 investment in WELL five years ago would be worth approximately $32K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WELL returned +270.5% versus MPW's +24.1%. 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 — MPW or WELL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Medical Properties Trust, Inc.'s 0.72β — meaning MPW is approximately 149% more volatile than WELL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 7% for Welltower Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MPW or WELL?
Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the more profitable company, earning 8.6% net margin versus -20.4% for Medical Properties Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPW leads at 38.1% versus 4.9% for WELL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MPW leads at 55.7%, 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.
06Is MPW or WELL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (MPW) trades at 47.6x forward P/E versus 73.3x for Welltower Inc. — 25.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WELL: 6.9% to $221.45.
07Which pays a better dividend — MPW or WELL?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is MPW or WELL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.29), +270.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WELL: +270.5%, MPW: +24.1%), 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 MPW and WELL?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.