Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CubeSmart (CUBE) vs Prologis, Inc. (PLD) vs Public Storage (PSA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PSA | 2.7% revenue growth vs CUBE's 1.5% |
| Value | CUBE | Lower P/E (28.7x vs 30.5x), PEG 0.92 vs 4.10 |
| Quality / Margins | PSA | 39.5% net margin vs CUBE's 32.2% |
| Stability / Safety | PSA | Beta 0.45 vs PLD's 0.85 |
| Dividends | CUBE | 4.9% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs PLD's 2.6% |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLD | +18.3% vs CUBE's +4.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PSA | 9.4% ROA vs PLD's 3.3%, ROIC 13.5% vs 3.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
CubeSmart is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates self-storage facilities across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from storage units—with additional income from tenant insurance, truck rentals, and packing supplies—with property operations contributing over 90% of total revenue. The company's competitive advantage lies in its national brand recognition, technology-enabled customer experience, and strategic locations in high-demand metropolitan areas.
Prologis is a global owner and operator of logistics real estate — primarily warehouses and distribution centers — serving e-commerce and supply chain customers. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from long-term leases to logistics companies, retailers, and manufacturers, with property management and development services providing additional income. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale — owning nearly 1 billion square feet of prime logistics space in key global markets — and its deep relationships with major logistics and e-commerce players.
Public Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates self-storage facilities across the United States and Europe. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from storage units — with additional income from tenant insurance, truck rentals, and property management services — making it one of the largest self-storage operators globally. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, prime locations, and strong brand recognition that creates pricing power and operational efficiency.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PSA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CUBE leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PLD is the larger business by revenue, generating $8.7B annually — 7.9x CUBE's $1.1B. PSA is the more profitable business, keeping 39.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CUBE's 32.2%. On growth, PLD holds the edge at +8.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $8.7B | $4.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $711M | $6.7B | $3.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $357M | $3.2B | $1.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $651M | $5.2B | $3.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.4% | +67.7% | +73.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +41.7% | +47.0% | +53.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +32.2% | +36.7% | +39.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +58.8% | +59.3% | +65.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.2% | +8.7% | +3.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -18.2% | -24.1% | +21.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 23.9x trailing earnings, CUBE trades at a 33% valuation discount to PLD's 35.6x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), CUBE offers better value at 0.76x vs PSA's 4.57x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.4B | $132.4B | $53.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.4B | $162.6B | $63.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 23.92x | 35.55x | 34.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 28.70x | 42.61x | 30.53x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.76x | 3.29x | 4.57x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.95x | 23.24x | 14.00x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.80x | 16.14x | 11.17x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.16x | 2.32x | 5.78x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.87x | 26.95x | 16.91x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PSA delivers a 20.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $20 in annual profit, vs $6 for PLD. PLD carries lower financial leverage with a 0.54x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PSA's 1.10x.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +12.5% | +5.6% | +20.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.3% | +3.3% | +9.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.1% | +3.8% | +13.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.1% | +4.8% | +17.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.03x | 0.54x | 1.10x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.0B | $30.2B | $9.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $72M | $1.3B | $318M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.1B | $31.5B | $10.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 5.27x | 11.19x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLD five years ago would be worth $16,053 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,844 for CUBE. Over the past 12 months, PLD leads with a +18.3% total return vs CUBE's +4.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PLD at 7.6% vs CUBE's 0.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +17.7% | +10.5% | +18.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +4.7% | +18.3% | +5.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.6% | +24.7% | +14.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +38.4% | +60.5% | +60.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +88.4% | +340.5% | +64.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.2% | +7.6% | +4.7% |
Risk & Volatility
PSA is the less volatile stock with a 0.45 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PLD's 0.85 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PLD currently trades 99.0% from its 52-week high vs CUBE's 93.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.53x | 0.85x | 0.45x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $44.13 | $143.95 | $322.49 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $34.24 | $85.35 | $256.54 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.2% | +99.0% | +95.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 63.9 | 67.9 | 64.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.0M | 2.8M | 959K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: CUBE as "Hold", PLD as "Buy", PSA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 1.5% upside for CUBE (target: $42) vs -4.6% for PLD (target: $136). For income investors, CUBE offers the higher dividend yield at 4.94% vs PLD's 2.63%.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | PLDPrologis, Inc. | PSAPublic Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $41.75 | $136.00 | $301.22 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 41 | 36 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.9% | +2.6% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 11 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.03 | $3.74 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 100 | 116.58 | +16.6% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 100 | 146.91 | +46.9% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 100 | 123.97 | +24.0% |
Prologis, Inc. (PLD) returned +61% over 5 years vs CubeSmart (CUBE)'s +38%. A $10,000 investment in PLD 5 years ago would be worth $16,053 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | $510M | $1.1B | +109.0% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | $2.5B | $8.2B | +223.8% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | $2.6B | $4.8B | +88.4% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 17.2% | 36.7% | +112.9% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 47.8% | 45.5% | -4.7% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 56.8% | 37.3% | -34.4% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 39.1 | 24.9 | -36.3% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 21.1 | 26.4 | +25.1% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 31.1 | 28.8 | -7.4% |
CubeSmart has traded in a 25x–72x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x. Prologis, Inc. has traded in a 21x–51x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~36x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 0.45 | 1.72 | +282.2% |
| Prologis, Inc. (PLD) | 2.27 | 4.01 | +76.7% |
| Public Storage (PSA) | 6.81 | 9.01 | +32.3% |
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CubeSmart generated $631M FCF in 2024 (+40% vs 2021). Prologis, Inc. generated $5B FCF in 2024 (+97% vs 2021).
CUBE vs PLD vs PSA: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CUBE or PLD or PSA a better buy right now?
CubeSmart (CUBE) offers the better valuation at 23.9x trailing P/E (28.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Prologis, Inc. (PLD) a "Buy" — based on 41 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 — CUBE or PLD or PSA?
On trailing P/E, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the cheapest at 23.9x versus Prologis, Inc. at 35.6x. On forward P/E, CubeSmart is actually cheaper at 28.7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: CubeSmart wins at 0.92x versus Public Storage's 4.10x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CUBE or PLD or PSA?
Over the past 5 years, Prologis, Inc. (PLD) delivered a total return of +60.5%, compared to +38.4% for CubeSmart (CUBE). A $10,000 investment in PLD five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PLD returned +340.5% versus PSA's +64.9%. 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 — CUBE or PLD or PSA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Public Storage (PSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.45β versus Prologis, Inc.'s 0.85β — meaning PLD is approximately 87% more volatile than PSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Prologis, Inc. (PLD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 54% versus 110% for Public Storage — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CUBE or PLD or PSA?
Prologis, Inc. (PLD) is the more profitable company, earning 45.5% net margin versus 36.7% for CubeSmart — meaning it keeps 45.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PSA leads at 70.6% versus 45.3% for CUBE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PLD leads at 74.9%, 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.
06Is CUBE or PLD or PSA more undervalued right now?
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, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.92x versus Public Storage's 4.10x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, CubeSmart (CUBE) trades at 28.7x forward P/E versus 42.6x for Prologis, Inc. — 13.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CUBE: 1.5% to $41.75.
07Which pays a better dividend — CUBE or PLD or PSA?
In this comparison, CUBE (4.9% yield), PLD (2.6% yield) pay a dividend. PSA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is CUBE or PLD or PSA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.53), 4.9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CUBE: +88.4%, PSA: +64.9%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CUBE and PLD and PSA?
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: CUBE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PLD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; PSA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. CUBE, PLD pay a dividend while PSA 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.
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