Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG) 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 | STAG | 10.1% revenue growth vs PSA's 2.7% |
| Value | PSA | Lower P/E (30.5x vs 38.5x), PEG 4.10 vs 18.92 |
| Quality / Margins | PSA | 39.5% net margin vs STAG's 29.3% |
| Stability / Safety | PSA | Beta 0.45 vs STAG's 0.66 |
| Dividends | STAG | 3.9% yield; 2-year raise streak; PSA pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | STAG | +12.8% vs PSA's +5.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PSA | 9.4% ROA vs STAG's 3.5%, ROIC 13.5% vs 0.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
STAG Industrial is a real estate investment trust that acquires and operates single-tenant industrial properties across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its portfolio of warehouses and distribution centers — with nearly all properties leased to single tenants on long-term, triple-net agreements. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on secondary markets where it faces less competition and can achieve higher yields than in primary logistics hubs.
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
STAG leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). PSA leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PSA is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.8B annually — 5.8x STAG's $824M. PSA is the more profitable business, keeping 39.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to STAG's 29.3%. On growth, STAG holds the edge at +10.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $824M | $4.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $606M | $3.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $241M | $1.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $425M | $3.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +79.8% | +73.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +37.3% | +53.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +29.3% | +39.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +51.6% | +65.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +10.7% | +3.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +13.0% | +21.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 26.9x trailing earnings, STAG trades at a 21% valuation discount to PSA's 34.1x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), PSA offers better value at 4.57x vs STAG's 13.19x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.3B | $53.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.3B | $63.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 26.86x | 34.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 38.53x | 30.53x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 13.19x | 4.57x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 23.77x | 14.00x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.67x | 11.17x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.00x | 5.78x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.81x | 16.91x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PSA delivers a 20.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $20 in annual profit, vs $7 for STAG.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.9% | +20.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.5% | +9.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.1% | +13.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.1% | +17.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.10x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$15M | $9.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $15M | $318M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $10.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 11.19x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PSA five years ago would be worth $16,046 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,464 for STAG. Over the past 12 months, STAG leads with a +12.8% total return vs PSA's +5.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors STAG at 8.9% vs PSA's 4.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.2% | +18.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +12.8% | +5.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +29.1% | +14.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +44.6% | +60.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +204.2% | +64.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.9% | +4.7% |
Risk & Volatility
PSA is the less volatile stock with a 0.45 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than STAG's 0.66 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.66x | 0.45x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $39.97 | $322.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $28.61 | $256.54 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.1% | +95.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.7 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 959K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates STAG as "Buy" and PSA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 14.7% upside for STAG (target: $45) vs -1.9% for PSA (target: $301). STAG is the only dividend payer here at 3.87% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | STAGSTAG Industrial, … | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $45.00 | $301.22 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 21 | 36 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.9% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.52 | — |
| 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 | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAG Industrial, In… (STAG) | 100 | 133.95 | +34.0% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 100 | 129.98 | +30.0% |
Public Storage (PSA) returned +60% over 5 years vs STAG Industrial, In… (STAG)'s +45%. A $10,000 investment in PSA 5 years ago would be worth $16,046 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAG Industrial, In… (STAG) | $250M | $845M | +237.7% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | $2.6B | $4.8B | +88.4% |
STAG Industrial, Inc.'s revenue grew from $250M (2016) to $845M (2025) — a 14.5% CAGR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAG Industrial, In… (STAG) | 13.8% | 32.3% | +134.5% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 56.8% | 37.3% | -34.4% |
STAG Industrial, Inc.'s net margin went from 14% (2016) to 32% (2025). Public Storage's net margin went from 57% (2016) to 37% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAG Industrial, In… (STAG) | 118.8 | 25.2 | -78.8% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 31.1 | 28.8 | -7.4% |
STAG Industrial, Inc. has traded in a 24x–119x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAG Industrial, In… (STAG) | 0.29 | 1.46 | +403.4% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 6.81 | 9.01 | +32.3% |
STAG Industrial, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.29 (2016) to $1.46 (2025) — a 20% CAGR. Public Storage's EPS grew from $6.81 (2016) to $9.01 (2025) — a 3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
STAG Industrial, Inc. generated $463M FCF in 2025 (+164% vs 2021). Public Storage generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+40% vs 2021).
STAG vs PSA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is STAG or PSA a better buy right now?
STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG) offers the better valuation at 26.9x trailing P/E (38.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG) a "Buy" — based on 21 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 — STAG or PSA?
On trailing P/E, STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG) is the cheapest at 26.9x versus Public Storage at 34.1x. On forward P/E, Public Storage 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: Public Storage wins at 4.10x versus STAG Industrial, Inc.'s 18.92x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — STAG or PSA?
Over the past 5 years, Public Storage (PSA) delivered a total return of +60.5%, compared to +44.6% for STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG). A $10,000 investment in PSA five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STAG returned +204.2% 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 — STAG or PSA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Public Storage (PSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.45β versus STAG Industrial, Inc.'s 0.66β — meaning STAG is approximately 47% more volatile than PSA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — STAG or PSA?
Public Storage (PSA) is the more profitable company, earning 37.3% net margin versus 32.3% for STAG Industrial, Inc. — meaning it keeps 37.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PSA leads at 70.6% versus 0.7% for STAG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — STAG leads at 79.8%, 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 STAG or PSA more undervalued right now?
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, Public Storage (PSA) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 4.10x versus STAG Industrial, Inc.'s 18.92x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Public Storage (PSA) trades at 30.5x forward P/E versus 38.5x for STAG Industrial, Inc. — 8.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for STAG: 14.7% to $45.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — STAG or PSA?
In this comparison, STAG (3.9% yield) pays a dividend. PSA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is STAG or PSA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, STAG Industrial, Inc. (STAG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.66), 3.9% yield, +204.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (STAG: +204.2%, 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 STAG 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: STAG is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PSA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. STAG 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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