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ARE vs WELL
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
REIT - Healthcare Facilities
ARE vs WELL — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | REIT - Office | REIT - Healthcare Facilities |
| Market Cap | $7.93B | $151.66B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.90B | $11.63B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-1.02B | $1.43B |
| Gross Margin | 68.2% | 39.1% |
| Operating Margin | -42.8% | 4.4% |
| Forward P/E | 79.2x | 79.7x |
| Total Debt | $12.76B | $21.38B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $549M | $5.03B |
ARE vs WELL — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Real Est… (ARE) | 100 | 29.8 | -70.2% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 100 | 427.2 | +327.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ARE vs WELL
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ARE is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability.
- Dividend streak 15 yrs, beta 0.95, yield 11.7%
- Lower P/E (79.2x vs 79.7x)
- 11.7% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs WELL's 1.3%
WELL carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 35.8%, EPS growth -11.5%, 3Y rev CAGR 22.7%
- 233.9% 10Y total return vs ARE's -7.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.13, Low D/E 49.5%, current ratio 5.34x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 35.8% FFO/revenue growth vs ARE's -2.6% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (79.2x vs 79.7x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 12.3% margin vs ARE's -35.3% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.13 vs ARE's 0.95, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 11.7% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs WELL's 1.3% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +45.8% vs ARE's -30.3% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 2.3% ROA vs ARE's -2.9%, ROIC 0.5% vs -2.7% |
ARE vs WELL — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
ARE vs WELL — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
Evenly matched — ARE and WELL each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
WELL is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.6B annually — 4.0x ARE's $2.9B. WELL is the more profitable business, keeping 12.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ARE's -35.3%. On growth, WELL holds the edge at +40.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.9B | $11.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $74M | $2.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.0B | $1.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.4B | $2.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +68.2% | +39.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -42.8% | +4.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -35.3% | +12.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +48.4% | +21.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.7% | +40.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +31.9% | +22.5% |
Valuation Metrics
ARE leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, WELL's 67.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ARE's 135.9x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.9B | $151.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $20.1B | $168.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.43x | 155.73x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 79.22x | 79.69x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 135.94x | 67.37x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.67x | 14.22x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.41x | 3.40x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 5.61x | 53.25x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WELL leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
WELL delivers a 3.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $3 in annual profit, vs $-5 for ARE. WELL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.49x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ARE's 0.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), WELL scores 7/9 vs ARE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -5.0% | +3.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.9% | +2.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.7% | +0.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -3.6% | +0.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.67x | 0.49x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $12.2B | $16.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $549M | $5.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $12.8B | $21.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -4.37x | 0.26x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
WELL leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in WELL five years ago would be worth $31,193 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,937 for ARE. Over the past 12 months, WELL leads with a +45.8% total return vs ARE's -30.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WELL at 43.3% vs ARE's -21.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -4.9% | +16.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -30.3% | +45.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -50.8% | +194.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -60.6% | +211.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -7.5% | +233.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -21.1% | +43.3% |
Risk & Volatility
WELL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
WELL is the less volatile stock with a 0.13 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ARE's 0.95 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WELL currently trades 98.6% from its 52-week high vs ARE's 51.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.95x | 0.13x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $88.24 | $219.59 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $39.41 | $142.65 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +51.9% | +98.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 46.1 | 57.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.4M | 2.6M |
Analyst Outlook
ARE leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ARE as "Hold" and WELL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 20.0% upside for ARE (target: $55) vs 4.6% for WELL (target: $227). For income investors, ARE offers the higher dividend yield at 11.67% vs WELL's 1.28%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $55.00 | $226.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +11.7% | +1.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $5.35 | $2.76 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.6% | 0.0% |
WELL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). ARE leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
ARE vs WELL: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ARE or WELL a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Welltower Inc.
(WELL) is the stronger pick with 35. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 6% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE). Welltower Inc. (WELL) offers the better valuation at 155. 7x trailing P/E (79. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Welltower Inc. (WELL) a "Buy" — based on 34 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 — ARE or WELL?
On forward P/E, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
is actually cheaper at 79. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ARE or WELL?
Over the past 5 years, Welltower Inc.
(WELL) delivered a total return of +211. 9%, compared to -60. 6% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WELL returned +233. 9% versus ARE's -7. 5%. 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 — ARE or WELL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Welltower Inc.
(WELL) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 13β versus Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. 's 0. 95β — meaning ARE is approximately 616% more volatile than WELL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Welltower Inc. (WELL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 49% versus 67% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ARE or WELL?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Welltower Inc.
(WELL) is pulling ahead at 35. 8% versus -2. 6% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Welltower Inc. grew EPS -11. 5% year-over-year, compared to -568. 9% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WELL leads at 22. 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 — ARE or WELL?
Welltower Inc.
(WELL) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 8% net margin versus -48. 2% for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WELL leads at 3. 3% versus -40. 5% for ARE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARE leads at 68. 9%, 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 ARE or WELL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
(ARE) trades at 79. 2x forward P/E versus 79. 7x for Welltower Inc. — 0. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARE: 20. 0% to $55. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — ARE or WELL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE) offers the highest yield at 11. 7%, versus 1. 3% for Welltower Inc. (WELL).
09Is ARE or WELL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Welltower Inc.
(WELL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 13), 1. 3% yield, +233. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WELL: +233. 9%, ARE: -7. 5%), 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 ARE and WELL?
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: ARE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; WELL is a mid-cap high-growth 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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