DLR vs AMT vs EQIX vs CCI

For growth investors, Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

(DLR) is the stronger pick with 10. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). American Tower Corporation (AMT) offers the better valuation at 33. 4x trailing P/E (27. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) a "Buy" — based on 48 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, American Tower Corporation (AMT) is the cheapest at 33.

4x versus Crown Castle Inc. at 88. 5x. On forward P/E, American Tower Corporation is actually cheaper at 27. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Equinix, Inc. wins at 2. 39x versus American Tower Corporation's 3. 77x.

Over the past 5 years, Equinix, Inc.

(EQIX) delivered a total return of +66. 5%, compared to -34. 4% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EQIX returned +259. 0% versus CCI's +58. 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 Digital Realty Trust, Inc. 's 0. 77β — meaning DLR is approximately -2159% more volatile than AMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 97% versus 4% for American Tower Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

(DLR) is pulling ahead at 10. 0% versus -35. 1% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Digital Realty Trust, Inc. grew EPS 122. 4% year-over-year, compared to 11. 8% for American Tower Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, DLR leads at 9. 2% 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 10. 8% for DLR. 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, Equinix, Inc. (EQIX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 39x versus American Tower Corporation's 3. 77x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, American Tower Corporation (AMT) trades at 27. 5x forward P/E versus 98. 7x for Digital Realty Trust, Inc. — 71. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMT: 20. 1% to $216. 33.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) offers the highest yield at 5. 3%, versus 1. 7% for Equinix, Inc. (EQIX).

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. 7% yield, +114. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMT: +114. 4%, DLR: +165. 0%), 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: DLR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AMT is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; EQIX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CCI 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.