IRM vs CUBE

For growth investors, Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is the stronger pick with 12.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 3% for CubeSmart (CUBE). CubeSmart (CUBE) offers the better valuation at 27. 6x trailing P/E (28. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) a "Buy" — based on 20 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, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the cheapest at 27.

6x versus Iron Mountain Incorporated at 269. 5x. On forward P/E, CubeSmart is actually cheaper at 28. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) delivered a total return of +249.

9%, compared to +18. 6% for CubeSmart (CUBE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IRM returned +314. 2% versus CUBE's +75. 0%. 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), CubeSmart (CUBE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

53β versus Iron Mountain Incorporated's 1. 10β — meaning IRM is approximately 106% more volatile than CUBE relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is pulling ahead at 12.

2% versus 5. 3% for CubeSmart (CUBE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: CubeSmart grew EPS -15. 1% year-over-year, compared to -19. 7% for Iron Mountain Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, IRM leads at 10. 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.

CubeSmart (CUBE) is the more profitable company, earning 29.

7% net margin versus 2. 1% for Iron Mountain Incorporated — meaning it keeps 29. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CUBE leads at 40. 0% versus 20. 4% for IRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IRM leads at 25. 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.

On forward earnings alone, CubeSmart (CUBE) trades at 28.

4x forward P/E versus 58. 6x for Iron Mountain Incorporated — 30. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CUBE: 3. 0% to $41. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CubeSmart (CUBE) offers the highest yield at 5. 2%, versus 2. 3% for Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM).

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

53), 5. 2% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CUBE: +75. 0%, IRM: +314. 2%), 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: IRM is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CUBE 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.