REIT - Specialty
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SBAC vs UNIT
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
REIT - Specialty
SBAC vs UNIT — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | REIT - Specialty | REIT - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $23.17B | $2.69B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.85B | $2.23B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $1.02B | $1.27B |
| Gross Margin | 63.6% | 47.1% |
| Operating Margin | 47.6% | 21.2% |
| Forward P/E | 29.4x | 2.3x |
| Total Debt | $15.32B | $10.02B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $432M | $134M |
SBAC vs UNIT — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBA Communications … (SBAC) | 100 | 69.5 | -30.5% |
| Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT) | 100 | 82.7 | -17.3% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: SBAC vs UNIT
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
SBAC is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 7 yrs, beta 0.16, yield 2.0%
- 137.0% 10Y total return vs UNIT's -29.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.16, current ratio 0.49x
UNIT carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure.
- Rev growth 91.5%, EPS growth 6.6%, 3Y rev CAGR 25.6%
- 91.5% FFO/revenue growth vs SBAC's 5.1%
- Lower P/E (2.3x vs 29.4x)
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 91.5% FFO/revenue growth vs SBAC's 5.1% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (2.3x vs 29.4x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 56.8% margin vs SBAC's 35.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.16 vs UNIT's 1.79 | |
| Dividends | 2.0% yield; 7-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +50.9% vs SBAC's -8.2% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 14.5% ROA vs SBAC's 9.0%, ROIC 5.2% vs 10.0% |
SBAC vs UNIT — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
SBAC vs UNIT — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SBAC leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SBAC and UNIT operate at a comparable scale, with $2.9B and $2.2B in trailing revenue. UNIT is the more profitable business, keeping 56.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SBAC's 35.7%. On growth, UNIT holds the edge at +2.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.9B | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.7B | $1.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.0B | $1.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.0B | -$460M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.6% | +47.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | +21.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +35.7% | +56.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +35.7% | -20.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.9% | +2.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -14.7% | -10.5% |
Valuation Metrics
UNIT leads this category, winning 3 of 3 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 2.3x trailing earnings, UNIT trades at a 90% valuation discount to SBAC's 22.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, UNIT's 11.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SBAC's 20.6x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $23.2B | $2.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $38.1B | $12.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 22.29x | 2.33x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.36x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.19x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.61x | 11.03x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.23x | 1.20x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 7.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 21.72x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
SBAC leads this category, winning 4 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SBAC scores 7/9 vs UNIT's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +3.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.0% | +14.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +10.0% | +5.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.5% | +6.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 26.35x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.9B | $9.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $432M | $134M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $15.3B | $10.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.65x | 0.79x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
UNIT leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SBAC five years ago would be worth $8,096 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,085 for UNIT. Over the past 12 months, UNIT leads with a +50.9% total return vs SBAC's -8.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors UNIT at 25.9% vs SBAC's -0.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.1% | +65.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -8.2% | +50.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -1.1% | +99.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -19.0% | -19.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +137.0% | -29.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -0.4% | +25.9% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — SBAC and UNIT each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SBAC is the less volatile stock with a 0.16 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than UNIT's 1.79 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. UNIT currently trades 93.1% from its 52-week high vs SBAC's 89.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.16x | 1.79x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $245.16 | $12.18 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $162.41 | $5.30 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.1% | +93.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.1 | 61.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 2.4M |
Analyst Outlook
SBAC leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SBAC as "Buy" and UNIT as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 5.4% upside for SBAC (target: $230) vs -2.9% for UNIT (target: $11). SBAC is the only dividend payer here at 2.04% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $230.14 | $11.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 42 | 13 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 7 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $4.45 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.1% | 0.0% |
SBAC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). UNIT leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
SBAC vs UNIT: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SBAC or UNIT a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Uniti Group Inc.
(UNIT) is the stronger pick with 91. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 1% for SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC). Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT) offers the better valuation at 2. 3x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) a "Buy" — based on 42 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 — SBAC or UNIT?
On trailing P/E, Uniti Group Inc.
(UNIT) is the cheapest at 2. 3x versus SBA Communications Corporation at 22. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SBAC or UNIT?
Over the past 5 years, SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) delivered a total return of -19.
0%, compared to -19. 1% for Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SBAC returned +137. 0% versus UNIT's -29. 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 — SBAC or UNIT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
16β versus Uniti Group Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning UNIT is approximately 1003% more volatile than SBAC relative to the S&P 500.
05Which is growing faster — SBAC or UNIT?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Uniti Group Inc.
(UNIT) is pulling ahead at 91. 5% versus 5. 1% for SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Uniti Group Inc. grew EPS 660. 9% year-over-year, compared to 41. 2% for SBA Communications Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, UNIT leads at 25. 6% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — SBAC or UNIT?
Uniti Group Inc.
(UNIT) is the more profitable company, earning 58. 4% net margin versus 37. 4% for SBA Communications Corporation — meaning it keeps 58. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SBAC leads at 48. 7% versus 21. 2% for UNIT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SBAC leads at 41. 6%, 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.
07Is SBAC or UNIT more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SBAC: 5.
4% to $230. 14.
08Which pays a better dividend — SBAC or UNIT?
In this comparison, SBAC (2.
0% yield) pays a dividend. UNIT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is SBAC or UNIT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
16), 2. 0% yield, +137. 0% 10Y return). Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SBAC: +137. 0%, UNIT: -29. 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.
10What are the main differences between SBAC and UNIT?
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: SBAC is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; UNIT is a small-cap high-growth stock. SBAC pays a dividend while UNIT 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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