Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) vs Prologis, Inc. (PLD) 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 | SELF | 2.8% revenue growth vs PLD's 2.2% |
| Value | SELF | Lower P/E (26.8x vs 42.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | PLD | 36.7% net margin vs SELF's 14.1% |
| Stability / Safety | SELF | Beta 0.06 vs PLD's 0.85, lower leverage |
| Dividends | SELF | 5.7% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs PLD's 2.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLD | +18.3% vs SELF's +3.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PLD | 3.3% ROA vs SELF's 2.8%, ROIC 3.8% vs 3.8% |
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
Global Self Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates self-storage facilities across multiple U.S. states. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from storage units—with a mix of residential and commercial customers—and property management fees from its owned and third-party facilities. The company's moat lies in its strategic locations in secondary markets with limited competition and its operational expertise in maximizing occupancy rates and rental yields.
Prologis is a global owner and operator of logistics real estate — primarily warehouses and distribution centers — serving e-commerce and supply chain customers. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from long-term leases to logistics companies, retailers, and manufacturers, with property management and development services providing additional income. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale — owning nearly 1 billion square feet of prime logistics space in key global markets — and its deep relationships with major logistics and e-commerce players.
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
PLD leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). SELF leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PLD is the larger business by revenue, generating $8.7B annually — 686.2x SELF's $13M. PLD is the more profitable business, keeping 36.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SELF's 14.1%. On growth, PLD holds the edge at +8.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $13M | $8.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5M | $6.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2M | $3.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $5M | $5.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +62.2% | +67.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +24.2% | +47.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.1% | +36.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +36.1% | +59.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.8% | +8.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -60.0% | -24.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 26.8x trailing earnings, SELF trades at a 25% valuation discount to PLD's 35.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SELF's 14.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PLD's 23.2x.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $58M | $132.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $67M | $162.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 26.84x | 35.55x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 42.61x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.29x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 14.79x | 23.24x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.61x | 16.14x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.20x | 2.32x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.60x | 26.95x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PLD delivers a 5.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $4 for SELF. SELF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.34x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PLD's 0.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SELF scores 6/9 vs PLD's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.8% | +5.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.8% | +3.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.8% | +3.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.5% | +4.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.34x | 0.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $9M | $30.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $1.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $16M | $31.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.29x | 5.27x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLD five years ago would be worth $16,053 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,520 for SELF. Over the past 12 months, PLD leads with a +18.3% total return vs SELF's +3.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PLD at 7.6% vs SELF's 1.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | 0.0% | +10.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.1% | +18.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.7% | +24.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +45.2% | +60.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +100.6% | +340.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.9% | +7.6% |
Risk & Volatility
SELF is the less volatile stock with a 0.06 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PLD's 0.85 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PLD currently trades 99.0% from its 52-week high vs SELF's 86.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.06x | 0.85x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.89 | $143.95 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.73 | $85.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.6% | +99.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.3 | 67.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 34K | 2.8M |
Analyst Outlook
For income investors, SELF offers the higher dividend yield at 5.73% vs PLD's 2.63%.
| Metric | SELFGlobal Self Stora… | PLDPrologis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $136.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 41 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.7% | +2.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 11 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.29 | $3.74 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 100 | 120.57 | +20.6% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 100 | 146.91 | +46.9% |
Prologis, Inc. (PLD) returned +61% over 5 years vs Global Self Storage… (SELF)'s +45%. A $10,000 investment in PLD 5 years ago would be worth $16,053 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | $4M | $13M | +244.8% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | $2.2B | $8.2B | +273.3% |
Global Self Storage, Inc.'s revenue grew from $4M (2015) to $13M (2024) — a 14.7% CAGR. Prologis, Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.2B (2015) to $8.2B (2024) — a 15.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 168.2% | 16.9% | -89.9% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 39.6% | 45.5% | +15.0% |
Global Self Storage, Inc.'s net margin went from 168% (2015) to 17% (2024). Prologis, Inc.'s net margin went from 40% (2015) to 45% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 48.3 | 28.1 | -41.8% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 21.1 | 26.4 | +25.1% |
Global Self Storage, Inc. has traded in a 17x–136x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x. Prologis, Inc. has traded in a 21x–51x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~36x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 0.82 | 0.19 | -76.8% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 1.64 | 4.01 | +144.5% |
Global Self Storage, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.82 (2015) to $0.19 (2024) — a -15% CAGR. Prologis, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.64 (2015) to $4.01 (2024) — a 10% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Global Self Storage, Inc. generated $4M FCF in 2024 (+25% vs 2021). Prologis, Inc. generated $5B FCF in 2024 (+97% vs 2021).
SELF vs PLD: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SELF or PLD a better buy right now?
Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) offers the better valuation at 26.8x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Prologis, Inc. (PLD) a "Buy" — based on 41 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 — SELF or PLD?
On trailing P/E, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) is the cheapest at 26.8x versus Prologis, Inc. at 35.6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SELF or PLD?
Over the past 5 years, Prologis, Inc. (PLD) delivered a total return of +60.5%, compared to +45.2% for Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF). A $10,000 investment in PLD five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PLD returned +340.5% versus SELF's +100.6%. 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 — SELF or PLD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) is the lower-risk stock at 0.06β versus Prologis, Inc.'s 0.85β — meaning PLD is approximately 1277% more volatile than SELF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 34% versus 54% for Prologis, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SELF or PLD?
Prologis, Inc. (PLD) is the more profitable company, earning 45.5% net margin versus 16.9% for Global Self Storage, Inc. — meaning it keeps 45.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PLD leads at 53.8% versus 23.1% for SELF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PLD leads at 74.9%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — SELF or PLD?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) offers the highest yield at 5.7%, versus 2.6% for Prologis, Inc. (PLD).
07Is SELF or PLD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.06), 5.7% yield, +100.6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SELF: +100.6%, PLD: +340.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between SELF and PLD?
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: SELF is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PLD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. 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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