Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG) vs Welltower Inc. (WELL) 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 | WELL | 38.0% revenue growth vs KRG's 0.7% |
| Value | WELL | Lower P/E (73.3x vs 80.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | KRG | 35.2% net margin vs WELL's 8.6% |
| Stability / Safety | WELL | Beta 0.29 vs KRG's 0.60, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | WELL | +36.8% vs KRG's +19.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | KRG | 4.5% ROA vs WELL's 1.4%, ROIC 2.3% vs 0.9% |
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
Kite Realty Group Trust is a retail-focused real estate investment trust that owns and operates neighborhood, community, and lifestyle shopping centers. It generates revenue primarily through collecting rent from retail tenants—with anchor tenants and smaller shops contributing to its income stream—along with property management fees and development activities. The company's competitive advantage lies in its vertically integrated operations and expertise in redeveloping properties in desirable markets to maximize tenant value.
Welltower is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and invests in seniors housing communities, post-acute care facilities, and outpatient medical properties. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its healthcare real estate portfolio — with seniors housing contributing roughly 60% of net operating income, outpatient medical properties about 25%, and post-acute care facilities the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale and strategic partnerships with leading healthcare operators, creating a diversified portfolio concentrated in high-growth markets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
KRG leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). WELL leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WELL is the larger business by revenue, generating $10.8B annually — 12.8x KRG's $848M. KRG is the more profitable business, keeping 35.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to WELL's 8.6%. On growth, WELL holds the edge at +46.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $848M | $10.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $573M | $2.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $299M | $934M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $278M | $2.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +53.3% | +20.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.1% | +4.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +35.2% | +8.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.8% | +19.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -3.4% | +46.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.5% | -26.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.9x trailing earnings, KRG trades at a 87% valuation discount to WELL's 149.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, KRG's 15.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WELL's 54.4x.
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.4B | $144.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.8B | $142.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.88x | 149.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 80.90x | 73.28x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.33x | 54.40x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.42x | 13.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.75x | 3.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.61x | 50.06x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KRG delivers a 9.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $9 in annual profit, vs $2 for WELL. WELL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to KRG's 1.06x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), KRG scores 6/9 vs WELL's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +9.4% | +2.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.5% | +1.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.3% | +0.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.06x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.3B | -$2.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $37M | $5.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.4B | $2.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.59x | 0.81x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in WELL five years ago would be worth $32,119 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,961 for KRG. Over the past 12 months, WELL leads with a +36.8% total return vs KRG's +19.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WELL at 42.6% vs KRG's 10.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.2% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +19.0% | +36.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.9% | +190.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +59.6% | +221.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +35.3% | +270.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +10.5% | +42.6% |
Risk & Volatility
WELL is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KRG's 0.60 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.60x | 0.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $26.30 | $215.56 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $18.52 | $130.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +96.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.9 | 69.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 2.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates KRG as "Hold" and WELL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 6.9% upside for WELL (target: $221) vs -3.1% for KRG (target: $25).
| Metric | KRGKite Realty Group… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $25.25 | $221.45 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Realty Group T… (KRG) | 100 | 142.68 | +42.7% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 100 | 249.04 | +149.0% |
Welltower Inc. (WELL) returned +221% over 5 years vs Kite Realty Group T… (KRG)'s +60%. A $10,000 investment in WELL 5 years ago would be worth $32,119 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Realty Group T… (KRG) | $354M | $848M | +139.4% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | $4.3B | $10.8B | +154.9% |
Kite Realty Group Trust's revenue grew from $354M (2016) to $848M (2025) — a 10.2% CAGR. Welltower Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.3B (2016) to $10.8B (2025) — a 11.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Realty Group T… (KRG) | 0.3% | 35.2% | +10446.2% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 25.4% | 8.6% | -65.9% |
Kite Realty Group Trust's net margin went from 0% (2016) to 35% (2025). Welltower Inc.'s net margin went from 25% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Realty Group T… (KRG) | 140 | 17.4 | -87.6% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 50.6 | 133.5 | +163.8% |
Kite Realty Group Trust has traded in a 17x–140x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x. Welltower Inc. has traded in a 27x–219x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~149x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Realty Group T… (KRG) | 0.01 | 1.38 | +13700.0% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 2.81 | 1.39 | -50.5% |
Kite Realty Group Trust's EPS grew from $0.01 (2016) to $1.38 (2025) — a 73% CAGR. Welltower Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.81 (2016) to $1.39 (2025) — a -8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Kite Realty Group Trust generated $278M FCF in 2025 (+545% vs 2021). Welltower Inc. generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+129% vs 2021).
KRG vs WELL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is KRG or WELL a better buy right now?
Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG) offers the better valuation at 18.9x trailing P/E (80.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Welltower Inc. (WELL) a "Buy" — based on 34 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 has the better valuation — KRG or WELL?
On trailing P/E, Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG) is the cheapest at 18.9x versus Welltower Inc. at 149.0x. On forward P/E, Welltower Inc. is actually cheaper at 73.3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — KRG or WELL?
Over the past 5 years, Welltower Inc. (WELL) delivered a total return of +221.2%, compared to +59.6% for Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG). A $10,000 investment in WELL five years ago would be worth approximately $32K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WELL returned +270.5% versus KRG's +35.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — KRG or WELL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Kite Realty Group Trust's 0.60β — meaning KRG is approximately 108% more volatile than WELL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Welltower Inc. (WELL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 106% for Kite Realty Group Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — KRG or WELL?
Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG) is the more profitable company, earning 35.2% net margin versus 8.6% for Welltower Inc. — meaning it keeps 35.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KRG leads at 23.1% versus 4.9% for WELL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — KRG leads at 53.3%, 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.
06Is KRG or WELL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Welltower Inc. (WELL) trades at 73.3x forward P/E versus 80.9x for Kite Realty Group Trust — 7.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WELL: 6.9% to $221.45.
07Which pays a better dividend — KRG or WELL?
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.
08Is KRG or WELL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.29), +270.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WELL: +270.5%, KRG: +35.3%), 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.
09What are the main differences between KRG and WELL?
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. 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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