Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CubeSmart (CUBE) vs Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) 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 | SELF | 2.8% revenue growth vs CUBE's 1.5% |
| Value | SELF | Lower P/E (26.8x vs 28.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | CUBE | 32.2% net margin vs SELF's 14.1% |
| Stability / Safety | SELF | Beta 0.06 vs CUBE's 0.53, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CUBE | 4.9% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs SELF's 5.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CUBE | +4.7% vs SELF's +3.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CUBE | 5.3% ROA vs SELF's 2.8%, ROIC 6.1% vs 3.8% |
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
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.
Global Self Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates self-storage facilities across multiple U.S. states. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from storage units—with a mix of residential and commercial customers—and property management fees from its owned and third-party facilities. The company's moat lies in its strategic locations in secondary markets with limited competition and its operational expertise in maximizing occupancy rates and rental yields.
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
SELF leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). CUBE leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CUBE is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.1B annually — 87.0x SELF's $13M. CUBE is the more profitable business, keeping 32.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SELF's 14.1%. On growth, CUBE holds the edge at +5.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $13M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $711M | $5M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $357M | $2M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $651M | $5M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +63.4% | +62.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +41.7% | +24.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +32.2% | +14.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +58.8% | +36.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.2% | +0.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -18.2% | -60.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 23.9x trailing earnings, CUBE trades at a 11% valuation discount to SELF's 26.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SELF's 14.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CUBE's 17.9x.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.4B | $58M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.4B | $67M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 23.92x | 26.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 28.70x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.76x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.95x | 14.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 8.80x | 4.61x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.16x | 1.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.87x | 13.60x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CUBE delivers a 12.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $4 for SELF. SELF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.34x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CUBE's 1.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SELF scores 6/9 vs CUBE's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +12.5% | +3.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.3% | +2.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.1% | +3.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.1% | +4.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.03x | 0.34x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.0B | $9M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $72M | $7M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.1B | $16M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 3.29x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SELF five years ago would be worth $14,520 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,844 for CUBE. Over the past 12 months, CUBE leads with a +4.7% total return vs SELF's +3.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SELF at 1.9% vs CUBE's 0.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +17.7% | 0.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +4.7% | +3.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.6% | +5.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +38.4% | +45.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +88.4% | +100.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.2% | +1.9% |
Risk & Volatility
SELF is the less volatile stock with a 0.06 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CUBE's 0.53 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CUBE currently trades 93.2% from its 52-week high vs SELF's 86.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.53x | 0.06x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $44.13 | $5.89 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $34.24 | $4.73 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.2% | +86.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 63.9 | 48.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.0M | 34K |
Analyst Outlook
For income investors, SELF offers the higher dividend yield at 5.73% vs CUBE's 4.94%.
| Metric | CUBECubeSmart | SELFGlobal Self Stora… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $41.75 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.9% | +5.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.03 | $0.29 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 100 | 116.58 | +16.6% |
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 100 | 120.57 | +20.6% |
Global Self Storage… (SELF) returned +45% over 5 years vs CubeSmart (CUBE)'s +38%. A $10,000 investment in SELF 5 years ago would be worth $14,520 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | $445M | $1.1B | +139.9% |
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | $4M | $13M | +244.8% |
CubeSmart's revenue grew from $445M (2015) to $1.1B (2024) — a 10.2% CAGR. Global Self Storage, Inc.'s revenue grew from $4M (2015) to $13M (2024) — a 14.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 17.5% | 36.7% | +109.9% |
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 168.2% | 16.9% | -89.9% |
CubeSmart's net margin went from 17% (2015) to 37% (2024). Global Self Storage, Inc.'s net margin went from 168% (2015) to 17% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 39.1 | 24.9 | -36.3% |
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 48.3 | 28.1 | -41.8% |
CubeSmart has traded in a 25x–72x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x. Global Self Storage, Inc. has traded in a 17x–136x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CubeSmart (CUBE) | 0.42 | 1.72 | +309.5% |
| Global Self Storage… (SELF) | 0.82 | 0.19 | -76.8% |
CubeSmart's EPS grew from $0.42 (2015) to $1.72 (2024) — a 17% CAGR. Global Self Storage, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.82 (2015) to $0.19 (2024) — a -15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CubeSmart generated $631M FCF in 2024 (+40% vs 2021). Global Self Storage, Inc. generated $4M FCF in 2024 (+25% vs 2021).
CUBE vs SELF: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CUBE or SELF 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 CubeSmart (CUBE) a "Hold" — based on 29 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 SELF?
On trailing P/E, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the cheapest at 23.9x versus Global Self Storage, Inc. at 26.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CUBE or SELF?
Over the past 5 years, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) delivered a total return of +45.2%, compared to +38.4% for CubeSmart (CUBE). A $10,000 investment in SELF five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SELF returned +100.6% versus CUBE's +88.4%. 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 SELF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) is the lower-risk stock at 0.06β versus CubeSmart's 0.53β — meaning CUBE is approximately 760% more volatile than SELF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 34% versus 103% for CubeSmart — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CUBE or SELF?
CubeSmart (CUBE) is the more profitable company, earning 36.7% net margin versus 16.9% for Global Self Storage, Inc. — meaning it keeps 36.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CUBE leads at 45.3% versus 23.1% for SELF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CUBE leads at 70.2%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — CUBE or SELF?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) offers the highest yield at 5.7%, versus 4.9% for CubeSmart (CUBE).
07Is CUBE or SELF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.06), 5.7% yield, +100.6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SELF: +100.6%, CUBE: +88.4%), 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.
08What are the main differences between CUBE and SELF?
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. 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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