DLR 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). Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) offers the better valuation at 54. 9x trailing P/E (97. 2x 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, Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

(DLR) is the cheapest at 54. 9x versus Crown Castle Inc. at 87. 4x. On forward P/E, Crown Castle Inc. is actually cheaper at 43. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

(DLR) delivered a total return of +47. 1%, compared to -35. 8% for Crown Castle Inc. (CCI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DLR returned +163. 8% versus CCI's +58. 4%. 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), Crown Castle Inc.

(CCI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 26β versus Digital Realty Trust, Inc. 's 0. 77β — meaning DLR is approximately 194% more volatile than CCI relative to the S&P 500.

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 111. 4% for Crown Castle Inc.. 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.

Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

(DLR) is the more profitable company, earning 21. 4% net margin versus 10. 4% for Crown Castle Inc. — meaning it keeps 21. 4% 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 — CCI leads at 66. 1%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Crown Castle Inc.

(CCI) trades at 43. 0x forward P/E versus 97. 2x for Digital Realty Trust, Inc. — 54. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CCI: 18. 3% to $105. 40.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) offers the highest yield at 5. 3%, versus 2. 5% for Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Crown Castle Inc.

(CCI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 26), 5. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CCI: +58. 4%, DLR: +163. 8%), 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; 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.