EPRT vs BX

For growth investors, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the stronger pick with 25. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 21. 6% for Blackstone Inc. (BX). Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) offers the better valuation at 24. 4x trailing P/E (23. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) a "Buy" — based on 22 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, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the cheapest at 24. 4x versus Blackstone Inc. at 31. 6x. On forward P/E, Blackstone Inc. is actually cheaper at 20. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Blackstone Inc. wins at 0. 98x versus Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. 's 1. 00x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Blackstone Inc.

(BX) delivered a total return of +63. 0%, compared to +46. 1% for Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BX returned +478. 0% versus EPRT's +188. 1%. 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), Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 01β versus Blackstone Inc. 's 1. 53β — meaning BX is approximately 17302% more volatile than EPRT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 60% versus 61% for Blackstone Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(EPRT) is pulling ahead at 25. 0% versus 21. 6% for Blackstone Inc. (BX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. grew EPS 11. 3% year-over-year, compared to 7. 2% for Blackstone Inc.. 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.

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 0% net margin versus 21. 8% for Blackstone Inc. — meaning it keeps 45. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EPRT leads at 64. 5% versus 51. 9% for BX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BX leads at 86. 0%, 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, Blackstone Inc. (BX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 98x versus Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. 's 1. 00x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Blackstone Inc. (BX) trades at 20. 6x forward P/E versus 23. 9x for Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. — 3. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BX: 27. 4% to $156. 29.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Blackstone Inc. (BX) offers the highest yield at 6. 3%, versus 3. 7% for Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 01), 3. 7% yield, +188. 1% 10Y return). Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a higher beta of 1. 53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EPRT: +188. 1%, BX: +478. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (EPRT (Real Estate) and BX (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.