Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) vs Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (COLD) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | COLD | -2.4% revenue growth vs IIPR's -13.8% |
| Quality / Margins | IIPR | 44.5% net margin vs COLD's -4.4% |
| Stability / Safety | IIPR | Beta 0.77 vs COLD's 0.89, lower leverage |
| Dividends | IIPR | 0.1% yield; COLD pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | IIPR | -15.8% vs COLD's -37.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | IIPR | 5.0% ROA vs COLD's -1.4%, ROIC 4.3% vs 0.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Innovative Industrial Properties is a specialized real estate investment trust that acquires and leases properties to state-licensed medical cannabis operators. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases — collecting rent and property management fees — with additional income from property sales and development reimbursements. Its competitive advantage lies in being the first and largest publicly-traded REIT focused exclusively on the regulated U.S. cannabis industry, creating a specialized expertise and scale that's difficult to replicate.
Americold is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates temperature-controlled warehouses — primarily for food products — across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from long-term leases with food producers, processors, and retailers, supplemented by value-added services like inventory management. Its competitive advantage lies in its massive scale as the world's largest publicly traded refrigerated warehouse REIT, creating a network effect with strategic locations near key transportation hubs.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
IIPR leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). COLD leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COLD is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.6B annually — 9.8x IIPR's $266M. IIPR is the more profitable business, keeping 44.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COLD's -4.4%. On growth, COLD holds the edge at -1.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $266M | $2.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $198M | $375M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $118M | -$115M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $198M | -$205M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +88.7% | +23.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +46.7% | +0.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +44.5% | -4.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +74.5% | -7.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.1% | -1.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -21.3% | -138.5% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, IIPR's 9.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than COLD's 21.8x.
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $3.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.8B | $8.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 13.48x | -33.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.90x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 3.60x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.23x | 21.83x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.58x | 1.47x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.81x | 1.31x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 7.49x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
IIPR delivers a 6.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-4 for COLD. IIPR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.21x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COLD's 1.54x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IIPR scores 4/9 vs COLD's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.4% | -3.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.0% | -1.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.3% | +0.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.8% | +0.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 1 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.21x | 1.54x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $346M | $4.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $48M | $137M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $394M | $4.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.15x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COLD five years ago would be worth $5,057 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,494 for IIPR. Over the past 12 months, IIPR leads with a -15.8% total return vs COLD's -37.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IIPR at -5.2% vs COLD's -18.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +3.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.8% | -37.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -14.8% | -45.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -55.1% | -49.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +407.4% | +13.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -5.2% | -18.2% |
Risk & Volatility
IIPR is the less volatile stock with a 0.77 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COLD's 0.89 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IIPR currently trades 70.7% from its 52-week high vs COLD's 58.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 0.89x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $74.92 | $23.05 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $44.58 | $10.10 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +70.7% | +58.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.7 | 58.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 276K | 4.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IIPR as "Hold" and COLD as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 5.4% upside for COLD (target: $14) vs -16.9% for IIPR (target: $44).
| Metric | IIPRInnovative Indust… | COLDAmericold Realty … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $44.00 | $14.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 19 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.1% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.03 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.4% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Industri… (IIPR) | 100 | 49.26 | -50.7% |
| Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) | 100 | 38.65 | -61.4% |
Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) returned -49% over 5 years vs Innovative Industri… (IIPR)'s -55%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Industri… (IIPR) | $321000.00 | $266M | +82752.0% |
| Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) | $1.5B | $2.6B | +74.6% |
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $266M (2025) — a 111.0% CAGR. Americold Realty Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.5B (2016) to $2.6B (2025) — a 6.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Industri… (IIPR) | -13.7% | 43.0% | +414.5% |
| Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) | 0.3% | -4.4% | -1430.1% |
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc.'s net margin went from -14% (2016) to 43% (2025). Americold Realty Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 0% (2016) to -4% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Industri… (IIPR) | 47.3 | 12.1 | -74.4% |
| Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) | 82.4 | 311.1 | +277.5% |
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. has traded in a 12x–58x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~13x. Americold Realty Trust, Inc. has traded in a 82x–311x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-33x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Industri… (IIPR) | -4.56 | 3.93 | +186.2% |
| Americold Realty Tr… (COLD) | -0.35 | -0.4 | -14.3% |
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.56 (2016) to $3.93 (2025). Americold Realty Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.35 (2016) to $-0.40 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. generated $198M FCF in 2025 (+5% vs 2021). Americold Realty Trust, Inc. generated $0M FCF in 2025 (+100% vs 2021).
IIPR vs COLD: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IIPR or COLD a better buy right now?
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) offers the better valuation at 13.5x trailing P/E (11.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (COLD) a "Buy" — based on 19 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — IIPR or COLD?
Over the past 5 years, Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (COLD) delivered a total return of -49.4%, compared to -55.1% for Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR). A $10,000 investment in COLD five years ago would be worth approximately $5K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IIPR returned +407.4% versus COLD's +13.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — IIPR or COLD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) is the lower-risk stock at 0.77β versus Americold Realty Trust, Inc.'s 0.89β — meaning COLD is approximately 15% more volatile than IIPR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 154% for Americold Realty Trust, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — IIPR or COLD?
Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) is the more profitable company, earning 43.0% net margin versus -4.4% for Americold Realty Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 43.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IIPR leads at 46.7% versus 0.3% for COLD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IIPR leads at 88.7%, 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.
05Is IIPR or COLD more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COLD: 5.4% to $14.11.
06Which pays a better dividend — IIPR or COLD?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is IIPR or COLD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.77), +407.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (IIPR: +407.4%, COLD: +13.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between IIPR and COLD?
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: IIPR is a small-cap deep-value stock; COLD is a small-cap quality compounder 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.
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