AMT vs CCI vs SBAC vs UNIT vs IRM

For growth investors, Uniti Group Inc.

(UNIT) is the stronger pick with 91. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT) offers the better valuation at 2. 4x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate American Tower Corporation (AMT) a "Buy" — based on 49 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, Uniti Group Inc.

(UNIT) is the cheapest at 2. 4x versus Iron Mountain Incorporated at 268. 8x. On forward P/E, American Tower Corporation is actually cheaper at 27. 2x — 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: SBA Communications Corporation wins at 0. 25x versus American Tower Corporation's 3. 72x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) delivered a total return of +275.

4%, compared to -35. 8% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IRM returned +321. 4% versus UNIT's -29. 9%. 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), American Tower Corporation (AMT) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

04β versus Uniti Group Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning UNIT is approximately -4881% more volatile than AMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, American Tower Corporation (AMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 26% for Uniti Group Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Uniti Group Inc.

(UNIT) is pulling ahead at 91. 5% versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Uniti Group Inc. grew EPS 660. 9% year-over-year, compared to -19. 7% for Iron Mountain Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, UNIT leads at 25. 6% 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.

Uniti Group Inc.

(UNIT) is the more profitable company, earning 58. 4% net margin versus 2. 1% for Iron Mountain Incorporated — meaning it keeps 58. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CCI leads at 48. 7% versus 20. 4% for IRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMT leads at 73. 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.

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, SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 25x versus American Tower Corporation's 3. 72x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, American Tower Corporation (AMT) trades at 27. 2x forward P/E versus 58. 4x for Iron Mountain Incorporated — 31. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMT: 21. 5% to $216. 33.

In this comparison, CCI (5.

3% yield), AMT (3. 8% yield), IRM (2. 3% yield), SBAC (2. 0% yield) pay a dividend. UNIT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, American Tower Corporation (AMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

04), 3. 8% yield, +113. 0% 10Y return). Uniti Group Inc. (UNIT) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMT: +113. 0%, UNIT: -29. 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.

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: AMT is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CCI is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; SBAC is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; UNIT is a small-cap high-growth stock; IRM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. AMT, CCI, SBAC, IRM pay a dividend while UNIT 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.