CCI vs TMUS vs VZ vs AMT

For growth investors, T-Mobile US, Inc.

(TMUS) is the stronger pick with 8. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) offers the better valuation at 11. 7x trailing P/E (9. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) a "Buy" — based on 46 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, Verizon Communications Inc.

(VZ) is the cheapest at 11. 7x versus Crown Castle Inc. at 87. 4x. On forward P/E, Verizon Communications Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: T-Mobile US, Inc. wins at 0. 62x 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, T-Mobile US, Inc.

(TMUS) delivered a total return of +51. 0%, compared to -35. 8% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TMUS returned +415. 9% versus VZ's +42. 8%. 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), T-Mobile US, Inc.

(TMUS) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 28β versus Crown Castle Inc. 's 0. 26β — meaning CCI is approximately -194% more volatile than TMUS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 190% versus 4% for American Tower Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), T-Mobile US, Inc.

(TMUS) is pulling ahead at 8. 5% versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Crown Castle Inc. grew EPS 111. 4% year-over-year, compared to -2. 2% for Verizon Communications Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TMUS leads at 3. 5% 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.

American Tower Corporation (AMT) is the more profitable company, earning 23.

8% net margin versus 10. 4% for Crown Castle Inc. — meaning it keeps 23. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CCI leads at 48. 7% versus 21. 2% for VZ. 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, T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x 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, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) trades at 9. 6x forward P/E versus 43. 0x for Crown Castle Inc. — 33. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TMUS: 30. 7% to $254. 08.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) offers the highest yield at 5. 7%, versus 1. 9% for T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, T-Mobile US, Inc.

(TMUS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 28), 1. 9% yield, +415. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TMUS: +415. 9%, CCI: +58. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (CCI (Real Estate) and TMUS (Communication Services) and VZ (Communication Services) and AMT (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CCI is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; TMUS is a large-cap quality compounder stock; VZ is a mid-cap deep-value stock; AMT 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.