FRT vs MAC

For growth investors, The Macerich Company (MAC) is the stronger pick with 10.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 3% for Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT). Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) offers the better valuation at 24. 1x trailing P/E (39. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) a "Buy" — based on 33 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.

Over the past 5 years, The Macerich Company (MAC) delivered a total return of +83.

5%, compared to +24. 7% for Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FRT returned +0. 2% versus MAC's -53. 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), Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

55β versus The Macerich Company's 1. 29β — meaning MAC is approximately 134% more volatile than FRT relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Macerich Company (MAC) is pulling ahead at 10.

4% versus 6. 3% for Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Federal Realty Investment Trust grew EPS 40. 1% year-over-year, compared to 0. 0% for The Macerich Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, FRT leads at 6. 0% 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.

Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is the more profitable company, earning 32.

1% net margin versus -19. 4% for The Macerich Company — meaning it keeps 32. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MAC leads at 67. 8% versus 35. 9% for FRT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MAC leads at 95. 4%, 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.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MAC: -0.

4% to $21. 40.

In this comparison, FRT (3.

9% yield) pays a dividend. MAC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

55), 3. 9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FRT: +0. 2%, MAC: -53. 9%), 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: FRT is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MAC is a small-cap quality compounder stock. FRT pays a dividend while MAC does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.