IRM vs EXR vs PSA vs CUBE vs NSA

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

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). 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. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: CubeSmart wins at 2. 49x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 14. 40x.

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 PSA's +57. 5%. 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), Public Storage (PSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

51β versus Iron Mountain Incorporated's 1. 10β — meaning IRM is approximately 115% more volatile than PSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 105% versus 2% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

2% versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Extra Space Storage Inc. grew EPS 13. 9% year-over-year, compared to -40. 7% for National Storage Affiliates Trust. Over a 3-year CAGR, EXR leads at 19. 8% 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.

Public Storage (PSA) is the more profitable company, earning 37.

0% net margin versus 2. 1% for Iron Mountain Incorporated — meaning it keeps 37. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PSA leads at 46. 7% versus 20. 4% for IRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NSA leads at 46. 0%, 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, CubeSmart (CUBE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 49x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 14. 40x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, CubeSmart (CUBE) trades at 28. 4x forward P/E versus 82. 4x for National Storage Affiliates Trust — 54. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EXR: 3. 7% to $149. 13.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) offers the highest yield at 5. 3%, versus 2. 3% for Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Extra Space Storage Inc.

(EXR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 52), 4. 5% yield, +107. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EXR: +107. 1%, 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; EXR is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; PSA is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CUBE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; NSA 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.