UMH vs SUI

For growth investors, UMH Properties, Inc.

(UMH) is the stronger pick with 8. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -27. 9% for Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI). Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) offers the better valuation at 11. 6x trailing P/E (47. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate UMH Properties, Inc. (UMH) a "Buy" — based on 15 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.

On trailing P/E, Sun Communities, Inc.

(SUI) is the cheapest at 11. 6x versus UMH Properties, Inc. at 224. 7x. On forward P/E, Sun Communities, Inc. is actually cheaper at 47. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, UMH Properties, Inc.

(UMH) delivered a total return of -8. 7%, compared to -9. 6% for Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UMH returned +138. 8% versus SUI's +127. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sun Communities, Inc.

(SUI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 26β versus UMH Properties, Inc. 's 0. 36β — meaning UMH is approximately 40% more volatile than SUI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 84% for UMH Properties, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), UMH Properties, Inc.

(UMH) is pulling ahead at 8. 8% versus -27. 9% for Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sun Communities, Inc. grew EPS 1427% year-over-year, compared to 112. 1% for UMH Properties, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, UMH leads at 10. 2% 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.

Sun Communities, Inc.

(SUI) is the more profitable company, earning 59. 6% net margin versus 10. 1% for UMH Properties, Inc. — meaning it keeps 59. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SUI leads at 20. 9% versus 17. 4% for UMH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SUI leads at 9. 3%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Sun Communities, Inc.

(SUI) trades at 47. 1x forward P/E versus 148. 4x for UMH Properties, Inc. — 101. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SUI: 11. 4% to $140. 29.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 5. 3% for UMH Properties, Inc. (UMH).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sun Communities, Inc.

(SUI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 26), 6. 6% yield, +127. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SUI: +127. 6%, UMH: +138. 8%), 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.

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: UMH is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SUI is a mid-cap deep-value 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.