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ADC vs WPC
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
REIT - Diversified
ADC vs WPC — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | REIT - Retail | REIT - Diversified |
| Market Cap | $9.19B | $16.19B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $750M | $1.99B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $220M | $517M |
| Gross Margin | 87.6% | 68.2% |
| Operating Margin | 48.0% | 43.3% |
| Forward P/E | 39.0x | 29.3x |
| Total Debt | $3.35B | $8.72B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $16M | $155M |
ADC vs WPC — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agree Realty Corpor… (ADC) | 100 | 121.9 | +21.9% |
| W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC) | 100 | 125.9 | +25.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ADC vs WPC
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ADC carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 16.4%, EPS growth -0.6%, 3Y rev CAGR 18.7%
- 137.5% 10Y total return vs WPC's 83.4%
- Lower volatility, beta -0.14, Low D/E 53.5%, current ratio 0.83x
WPC is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.02, yield 4.8%
- Lower P/E (29.3x vs 39.0x)
- +26.4% vs ADC's +3.9%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 16.4% FFO/revenue growth vs WPC's 8.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (29.3x vs 39.0x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 29.3% margin vs WPC's 26.0% | |
| Stability / Safety | Lower D/E ratio (53.5% vs 107.2%) | |
| Dividends | 4.0% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs WPC's 4.8% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +26.4% vs ADC's +3.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 2.9% ROA vs ADC's 2.3%, ROIC 3.5% vs 2.8% |
ADC vs WPC — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
ADC vs WPC — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ADC leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
WPC is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.0B annually — 2.6x ADC's $750M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 29.3% (ADC) to 26.0% (WPC). On growth, ADC holds the edge at +18.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $750M | $2.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $638M | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $220M | $517M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $110M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +87.6% | +68.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +48.0% | +43.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +29.3% | +26.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.7% | +56.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +18.7% | +10.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +19.0% | +40.4% |
Valuation Metrics
WPC leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 35.0x trailing earnings, WPC trades at a 19% valuation discount to ADC's 43.2x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, WPC's 19.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ADC's 20.3x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.2B | $16.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.5B | $24.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 43.22x | 35.00x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 39.03x | 29.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 113.96x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.33x | 19.28x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 12.79x | 9.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.36x | 2.01x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.23x | 14.84x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WPC leads this category, winning 5 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
WPC delivers a 6.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $4 for ADC. ADC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.53x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to WPC's 1.07x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.7% | +6.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.3% | +2.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.8% | +3.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.8% | +4.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.53x | 1.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.3B | $8.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $16M | $155M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.4B | $8.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.54x | 2.73x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
ADC leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in ADC five years ago would be worth $13,046 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,857 for WPC. Over the past 12 months, WPC leads with a +26.4% total return vs ADC's +3.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ADC at 8.1% vs WPC's 5.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.5% | +15.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.9% | +26.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +26.4% | +18.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +30.5% | +28.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +137.5% | +83.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.1% | +5.8% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — ADC and WPC each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
ADC is the less volatile stock with a -0.14 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than WPC's 0.02 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WPC currently trades 97.6% from its 52-week high vs ADC's 93.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | -0.14x | 0.02x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $82.08 | $75.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $69.56 | $59.34 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.2% | +97.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.2 | 57.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 1.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — ADC and WPC each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ADC as "Buy" and WPC as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 9.2% upside for ADC (target: $84) vs -0.9% for WPC (target: $73). For income investors, WPC offers the higher dividend yield at 4.84% vs ADC's 4.00%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $83.50 | $73.20 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 32 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.0% | +4.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.06 | $3.57 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | 0.0% |
ADC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). WPC leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
ADC vs WPC: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ADC or WPC a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) is the stronger pick with 16.
4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 9% for W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC). W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC) offers the better valuation at 35. 0x trailing P/E (29. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) a "Buy" — based on 32 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 — ADC or WPC?
On trailing P/E, W.
P. Carey Inc. (WPC) is the cheapest at 35. 0x versus Agree Realty Corporation at 43. 2x. On forward P/E, W. P. Carey Inc. is actually cheaper at 29. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ADC or WPC?
Over the past 5 years, Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) delivered a total return of +30.
5%, compared to +28. 6% for W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADC returned +137. 5% versus WPC's +83. 4%. 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 — ADC or WPC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) is the lower-risk stock at -0.
14β versus W. P. Carey Inc. 's 0. 02β — meaning WPC is approximately -117% more volatile than ADC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 53% versus 107% for W. P. Carey Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ADC or WPC?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) is pulling ahead at 16.
4% versus 8. 9% for W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: W. P. Carey Inc. grew EPS 1. 0% year-over-year, compared to -0. 6% for Agree Realty Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, ADC leads at 18. 7% 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 — ADC or WPC?
Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) is the more profitable company, earning 28.
4% net margin versus 27. 2% for W. P. Carey Inc. — meaning it keeps 28. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ADC leads at 47. 4% versus 44. 4% for WPC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADC leads at 87. 7%, 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 ADC or WPC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, W.
P. Carey Inc. (WPC) trades at 29. 3x forward P/E versus 39. 0x for Agree Realty Corporation — 9. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADC: 9. 2% to $83. 50.
08Which pays a better dividend — ADC or WPC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC) offers the highest yield at 4. 8%, versus 4. 0% for Agree Realty Corporation (ADC).
09Is ADC or WPC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Agree Realty Corporation (ADC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.
14), 4. 0% yield, +137. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ADC: +137. 5%, WPC: +83. 4%), 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 ADC and WPC?
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: ADC is a small-cap high-growth stock; WPC is a mid-cap income-oriented 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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