EPRT vs O

For growth investors, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the stronger pick with 25. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 1% for Realty Income Corporation (O). Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) offers the better valuation at 24. 5x trailing P/E (24. 1x 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. 5x versus Realty Income Corporation at 54. 7x. On forward P/E, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. is actually cheaper at 24. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. wins at 1. 01x versus Realty Income Corporation's 73. 84x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) delivered a total return of +44. 2%, compared to +21. 3% for Realty Income Corporation (O). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EPRT returned +189. 7% versus O's +49. 7%. 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 Realty Income Corporation's 0. 09β — meaning O is approximately 926% 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 82% for Realty Income Corporation — 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 9. 1% for Realty Income Corporation (O). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Realty Income Corporation grew EPS 19. 4% year-over-year, compared to 11. 3% for Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, EPRT leads at 25. 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.

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(EPRT) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 0% net margin versus 18. 4% for Realty Income Corporation — 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 28. 3% for O. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — O leads at 89. 8%, 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, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 01x versus Realty Income Corporation's 73. 84x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. (EPRT) trades at 24. 1x forward P/E versus 38. 5x for Realty Income Corporation — 14. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EPRT: 16. 2% to $36. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Realty Income Corporation (O) offers the highest yield at 5. 0%, 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, +189. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EPRT: +189. 7%, O: +49. 7%), 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: EPRT is a small-cap high-growth stock; O 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.