FPI vs IIPR vs SAFE vs LAND

For growth investors, Safehold Inc.

(SAFE) is the stronger pick with 5. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -13. 8% for Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR). Safehold Inc. (SAFE) offers the better valuation at 9. 7x trailing P/E (9. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Safehold Inc. (SAFE) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, Safehold Inc.

(SAFE) is the cheapest at 9. 7x versus Farmland Partners Inc. at 17. 1x. On forward P/E, Safehold Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Safehold Inc. wins at 1. 44x versus Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. 's 3. 52x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Farmland Partners Inc.

(FPI) delivered a total return of -8. 7%, compared to -71. 0% for Safehold Inc. (SAFE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IIPR returned +436. 4% versus SAFE's -50. 3%. 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), Farmland Partners Inc.

(FPI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 56β versus Safehold Inc. 's 0. 96β — meaning SAFE is approximately 73% more volatile than FPI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 184% for Safehold Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Safehold Inc.

(SAFE) is pulling ahead at 5. 4% versus -13. 8% for Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Safehold Inc. grew EPS 7. 4% year-over-year, compared to -41. 5% for Farmland Partners Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SAFE leads at 12. 6% 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.

Farmland Partners Inc.

(FPI) is the more profitable company, earning 60. 5% net margin versus -13. 8% for Gladstone Land Corporation — meaning it keeps 60. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SAFE leads at 79. 8% versus 44. 2% for FPI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SAFE leads at 94. 3%, 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, Safehold Inc. (SAFE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 44x versus Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. 's 3. 52x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Safehold Inc. (SAFE) trades at 9. 1x forward P/E versus 49. 6x for Farmland Partners Inc. — 40. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FPI: 60. 6% to $17. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) offers the highest yield at 13. 5%, versus 4. 6% for Safehold Inc. (SAFE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Farmland Partners Inc.

(FPI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 56), 11. 7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FPI: +29. 7%, SAFE: -50. 3%), 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: FPI is a small-cap deep-value stock; IIPR is a small-cap deep-value stock; SAFE is a small-cap deep-value stock; LAND is a small-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.