Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) vs Realty Income Corporation (O) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AKR | 14.2% revenue growth vs O's 9.1% |
| Value | O | Lower P/E (41.8x vs 73.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | O | 18.4% net margin vs AKR's 4.4% |
| Stability / Safety | O | Beta 0.19 vs AKR's 0.77 |
| Dividends | AKR | 3.8% yield; 1-year raise streak; O pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | O | +23.6% vs AKR's -5.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | O | 1.5% ROA vs AKR's 0.4%, ROIC 2.3% vs 1.5% |
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
Acadia Realty Trust is a retail-focused real estate investment trust that owns and operates shopping centers and urban retail properties primarily in high-density, affluent metropolitan areas. It generates revenue through rental income from its Core Portfolio — which contributes about 70% of earnings — and through management fees and carried interest from its series of institutional real estate funds. The company's competitive advantage lies in its strategic focus on high-barrier-to-entry urban retail locations and its dual-platform structure that provides both stable income and opportunistic growth potential.
Realty Income is a real estate investment trust that owns and leases single-tenant commercial properties to retail and service-oriented businesses. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with retail clients like convenience stores and drugstores accounting for roughly 80% of its portfolio. The company's moat lies in its massive scale, diversified tenant base, and long-term lease structure that provides predictable monthly cash flow supporting its famous monthly dividend payments.
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
O leads in 6 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
O is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.7B annually — 14.4x AKR's $399M. O is the more profitable business, keeping 18.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AKR's 4.4%. On growth, AKR holds the edge at +15.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $399M | $5.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $198M | $4.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $18M | $1.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $104M | $2.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +69.9% | +89.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.3% | +28.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.4% | +18.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +26.1% | +48.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.1% | +11.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -50.4% | +39.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 57.3x trailing earnings, O trades at a 73% valuation discount to AKR's 209.2x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, O's 15.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AKR's 19.0x.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $62.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $62.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 209.20x | 57.27x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 73.40x | 41.80x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 80.25x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 19.04x | 15.16x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.67x | 10.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.03x | 1.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 16.42x | 15.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
O delivers a 2.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $3 in annual profit, vs $1 for AKR.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +0.7% | +2.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.4% | +1.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.5% | +2.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +1.8% | +2.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.73x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.9B | -$435M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $57M | $435M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.9B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.88x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in O five years ago would be worth $14,035 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,800 for AKR. Over the past 12 months, O leads with a +23.6% total return vs AKR's -5.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AKR at 16.7% vs O's 6.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.4% | +17.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -5.8% | +23.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +59.1% | +19.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +28.0% | +40.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -11.6% | +67.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +16.7% | +6.3% |
Risk & Volatility
O is the less volatile stock with a 0.19 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AKR's 0.77 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. O currently trades 98.6% from its 52-week high vs AKR's 89.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 0.19x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $23.46 | $67.94 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.98 | $50.71 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.2% | +98.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.6 | 70.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 5.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AKR as "Buy" and O as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -2.0% upside for AKR (target: $21) vs -5.4% for O (target: $63). AKR is the only dividend payer here at 3.76% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | AKRAcadia Realty Tru… | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $20.50 | $63.38 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 27 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.79 | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) | 100 | 87 | -13.0% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 100 | 86.35 | -13.7% |
Realty Income Corpo… (O) returned +40% over 5 years vs Acadia Realty Trust (AKR)'s +28%. A $10,000 investment in O 5 years ago would be worth $14,035 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) | $190M | $411M | +116.3% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | $1.1B | $5.7B | +421.2% |
Acadia Realty Trust's revenue grew from $190M (2016) to $411M (2025) — a 8.9% CAGR. Realty Income Corporation's revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $5.7B (2025) — a 20.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) | 38.3% | 4.1% | -89.3% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 28.6% | 18.4% | -35.6% |
Acadia Realty Trust's net margin went from 38% (2016) to 4% (2025). Realty Income Corporation's net margin went from 29% (2016) to 18% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) | 37.5 | 205.4 | +447.7% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 50.2 | 48.2 | -4.0% |
Acadia Realty Trust has traded in a 38x–205x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~209x. Realty Income Corporation has traded in a 45x–82x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~57x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) | 0.94 | 0.1 | -89.4% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 1.13 | 1.17 | +3.5% |
Acadia Realty Trust's EPS grew from $0.94 (2016) to $0.10 (2025) — a -22% CAGR. Realty Income Corporation's EPS grew from $1.13 (2016) to $1.17 (2025) — a 0% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Acadia Realty Trust generated $167M FCF in 2025 (+181% vs 2021). Realty Income Corporation generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+207% vs 2021).
AKR vs O: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AKR or O a better buy right now?
Realty Income Corporation (O) offers the better valuation at 57.3x trailing P/E (41.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Acadia Realty Trust (AKR) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — AKR or O?
On trailing P/E, Realty Income Corporation (O) is the cheapest at 57.3x versus Acadia Realty Trust at 209.2x. On forward P/E, Realty Income Corporation is actually cheaper at 41.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AKR or O?
Over the past 5 years, Realty Income Corporation (O) delivered a total return of +40.3%, compared to +28.0% for Acadia Realty Trust (AKR). A $10,000 investment in O five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: O returned +67.6% versus AKR's -11.6%. 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 — AKR or O?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Realty Income Corporation (O) is the lower-risk stock at 0.19β versus Acadia Realty Trust's 0.77β — meaning AKR is approximately 304% more volatile than O relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — AKR or O?
Realty Income Corporation (O) is the more profitable company, earning 18.4% net margin versus 4.1% for Acadia Realty Trust — meaning it keeps 18.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: O leads at 28.3% versus 20.5% for AKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — O leads at 89.8%, 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 AKR or O more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Realty Income Corporation (O) trades at 41.8x forward P/E versus 73.4x for Acadia Realty Trust — 31.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AKR: -2.0% to $20.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — AKR or O?
In this comparison, AKR (3.8% yield) pays a dividend. O does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is AKR or O better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Realty Income Corporation (O) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.19)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (O: +67.6%, AKR: -11.6%), 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 AKR and O?
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: AKR is a small-cap income-oriented stock; O is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. AKR pays a dividend while O 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.