IRM vs PSA

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

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 7% for Public Storage (PSA). Public Storage (PSA) offers the better valuation at 33. 2x trailing P/E (31. 3x 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, Public Storage (PSA) is the cheapest at 33.

2x versus Iron Mountain Incorporated at 268. 8x. On forward P/E, Public Storage is actually cheaper at 31. 3x.

Over the past 5 years, Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) delivered a total return of +275.

4%, compared to +32. 9% for Public Storage (PSA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IRM returned +321. 4% versus PSA's +55. 6%. 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.

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

2% versus 2. 7% for Public Storage (PSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Public Storage grew EPS -15. 3% 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.

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 — 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, Public Storage (PSA) trades at 31.

3x forward P/E versus 58. 4x for Iron Mountain Incorporated — 27. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PSA: 2. 0% to $304. 82.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Public Storage (PSA) offers the highest yield at 4. 4%, versus 2. 3% for Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM).

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

51), 4. 4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PSA: +55. 6%, IRM: +321. 4%), 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; PSA is a mid-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.