Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) vs Public Storage (PSA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PSA | 2.7% revenue growth vs PLYM's -0.7% |
| Value | PLYM | Lower P/E (7.1x vs 30.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | PLYM | 48.5% net margin vs PSA's 39.5% |
| Stability / Safety | PSA | Beta 0.45 vs PLYM's 0.53, lower leverage |
| Dividends | PLYM | 4.4% yield; 1-year raise streak; PSA pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLYM | +30.9% vs PSA's +5.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PSA | 9.4% ROA vs PLYM's 5.9%, ROIC 13.5% vs 2.1% |
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
Plymouth Industrial REIT is a real estate investment trust that acquires and operates industrial properties — primarily warehouses and distribution facilities — in secondary and select primary U.S. markets. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its industrial portfolio, supplemented by property management fees from its vertically integrated operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its focus on underserved secondary markets where it can leverage local expertise and its integrated management platform to create value through active asset repositioning.
Public Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates self-storage facilities across the United States and Europe. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from storage units — with additional income from tenant insurance, truck rentals, and property management services — making it one of the largest self-storage operators globally. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, prime locations, and strong brand recognition that creates pricing power and operational efficiency.
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
PSA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). PLYM leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PSA is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.8B annually — 25.0x PLYM's $192M. PLYM is the more profitable business, keeping 48.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PSA's 39.5%. On growth, PSA holds the edge at +3.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $192M | $4.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $116M | $3.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $93M | $1.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $95M | $3.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +69.7% | +73.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.3% | +53.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +48.5% | +39.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +49.4% | +65.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -1.4% | +3.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.5% | +21.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 7.1x trailing earnings, PLYM trades at a 79% valuation discount to PSA's 34.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PLYM's 13.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PSA's 14.0x.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $979M | $53.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.6B | $63.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.11x | 34.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 30.53x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 4.57x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.32x | 14.00x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.94x | 11.17x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.69x | 5.78x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.19x | 16.91x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PSA delivers a 20.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $20 in annual profit, vs $17 for PLYM. PSA carries lower financial leverage with a 1.10x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PLYM's 1.10x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PLYM scores 7/9 vs PSA's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +16.8% | +20.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.9% | +9.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | +13.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.8% | +17.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.10x | 1.10x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $628M | $9.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $18M | $318M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $646M | $10.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.97x | 11.19x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLYM five years ago would be worth $17,070 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,046 for PSA. Over the past 12 months, PLYM leads with a +30.9% total return vs PSA's +5.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PSA at 4.7% vs PLYM's 4.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.5% | +18.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +30.9% | +5.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +13.5% | +14.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +70.7% | +60.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +68.9% | +64.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +4.3% | +4.7% |
Risk & Volatility
PSA is the less volatile stock with a 0.45 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PLYM's 0.53 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.53x | 0.45x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.74 | $322.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.70 | $256.54 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.7% | +95.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.8 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 959K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PLYM as "Hold" and PSA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 0.1% upside for PLYM (target: $22) vs -1.9% for PSA (target: $301). PLYM is the only dividend payer here at 4.40% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $22.00 | $301.22 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 36 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.4% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.97 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Jan 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | 100 | 116.57 | +16.6% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 100 | 123.58 | +23.6% |
Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) returned +71% over 5 years vs Public Storage (PSA)'s +60%. A $10,000 investment in PLYM 5 years ago would be worth $17,070 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | $20M | $198M | +909.0% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | $2.6B | $4.8B | +88.4% |
Public Storage's revenue grew from $2.6B (2016) to $4.8B (2025) — a 7.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | -188.2% | 70.2% | +137.3% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 56.8% | 37.3% | -34.4% |
Public Storage's net margin went from 57% (2016) to 37% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Storage (PSA) | 31.1 | 28.8 | -7.4% |
Public Storage has traded in a 12x–38x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | -10.2 | 3.09 | +130.3% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 6.81 | 9.01 | +32.3% |
Public Storage's EPS grew from $6.81 (2016) to $9.01 (2025) — a 3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. generated $96M FCF in 2024 (+194% vs 2021). Public Storage generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+40% vs 2021).
PLYM vs PSA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PLYM or PSA a better buy right now?
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) offers the better valuation at 7.1x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) a "Hold" — based on 16 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 — PLYM or PSA?
On trailing P/E, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the cheapest at 7.1x versus Public Storage at 34.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PLYM or PSA?
Over the past 5 years, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) delivered a total return of +70.7%, compared to +60.5% for Public Storage (PSA). A $10,000 investment in PLYM five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PLYM returned +68.9% versus PSA's +64.9%. 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 — PLYM or PSA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Public Storage (PSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.45β versus Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.'s 0.53β — meaning PLYM is approximately 16% more volatile than PSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Public Storage (PSA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 110% versus 110% for Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PLYM or PSA?
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the more profitable company, earning 70.2% net margin versus 37.3% for Public Storage — meaning it keeps 70.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PSA leads at 70.6% versus 18.2% for PLYM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PSA leads at 72.8%, 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 PLYM or PSA more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PLYM: 0.1% to $22.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — PLYM or PSA?
In this comparison, PLYM (4.4% yield) pays a dividend. PSA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PLYM or PSA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.53), 4.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PLYM: +68.9%, PSA: +64.9%), 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 PLYM and PSA?
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: PLYM is a small-cap deep-value stock; PSA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. PLYM pays a dividend while PSA 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.
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