Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Lineage, Inc. (LINE) vs Realty Income Corporation (O) 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 | O | 9.1% revenue growth vs LINE's 0.3% |
| Value | O | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | O | 18.4% net margin vs LINE's -1.9% |
| Stability / Safety | O | Beta 0.19 vs LINE's 0.92 |
| Dividends | LINE | 5.8% yield; 2-year raise streak; O pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | O | +23.6% vs LINE's -29.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | O | 1.5% ROA vs LINE's -0.5%, ROIC 2.3% vs 1.4% |
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
Lineage is a temperature-controlled industrial real estate company that operates a global network of cold storage warehouses. It generates revenue primarily through warehouse leasing fees — with its Global Warehousing segment contributing the majority — supplemented by specialized cold-chain logistics services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale as the world's largest temperature-controlled warehouse operator, creating network effects and operational efficiencies across its global footprint.
Realty Income is a real estate investment trust that owns and leases single-tenant commercial properties to retail and service-oriented businesses. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with retail clients like convenience stores and drugstores accounting for roughly 80% of its portfolio. The company's moat lies in its massive scale, diversified tenant base, and long-term lease structure that provides predictable monthly cash flow supporting its famous monthly dividend payments.
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
O leads in 5 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). LINE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
O and LINE operate at a comparable scale, with $5.7B and $5.4B in trailing revenue. O is the more profitable business, keeping 18.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LINE's -1.9%. On growth, O holds the edge at +11.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $5.4B | $5.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.5B | $4.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$100M | $1.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $196M | $2.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +47.7% | +89.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +3.4% | +28.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.9% | +18.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.7% | +48.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.2% | +11.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +108.5% | +39.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, LINE's 9.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than O's 15.2x.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9.2B | $62.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $10.9B | $62.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -94.23x | 57.27x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 41.80x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 80.25x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.54x | 15.16x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.72x | 10.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.00x | 1.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 46.92x | 15.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
O delivers a 2.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $3 in annual profit, vs $-1 for LINE. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), O scores 5/9 vs LINE's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -1.1% | +2.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.5% | +1.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.4% | +2.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +1.4% | +2.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.20x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.8B | -$435M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $66M | $435M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.8B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.94x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in O five years ago would be worth $14,035 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,390 for LINE. Over the past 12 months, O leads with a +23.6% total return vs LINE's -29.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors O at 6.3% vs LINE's -18.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.4% | +17.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -29.2% | +23.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.1% | +19.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.1% | +40.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.1% | +67.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -18.6% | +6.3% |
Risk & Volatility
O is the less volatile stock with a 0.19 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LINE's 0.92 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. O currently trades 98.6% from its 52-week high vs LINE's 65.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.92x | 0.19x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $62.30 | $67.94 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $32.46 | $50.71 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.0% | +98.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 63.4 | 70.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 5.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LINE as "Hold" and O as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -1.9% upside for LINE (target: $40) vs -5.4% for O (target: $63). LINE is the only dividend payer here at 5.81% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | LINELineage, Inc. | ORealty Income Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $39.73 | $63.38 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.8% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 27 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.36 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jul 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lineage, Inc. (LINE) | 100 | 43.64 | -56.4% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 100 | 104.34 | +4.3% |
Realty Income Corpo… (O) returned +40% over 5 years vs Lineage, Inc. (LINE)'s -46%. A $10,000 investment in O 5 years ago would be worth $14,035 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lineage, Inc. (LINE) | $918M | $5.4B | +483.5% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | $1.1B | $5.7B | +421.2% |
Lineage, Inc.'s revenue grew from $918M (2016) to $5.4B (2025) — a 21.7% CAGR. Realty Income Corporation's revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $5.7B (2025) — a 20.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lineage, Inc. (LINE) | -2.4% | -1.9% | +21.1% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 28.6% | 18.4% | -35.6% |
Lineage, Inc.'s net margin went from -2% (2016) to -2% (2025). Realty Income Corporation's net margin went from 29% (2016) to 18% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 50.2 | 48.2 | -4.0% |
Realty Income Corporation has traded in a 45x–82x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~57x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lineage, Inc. (LINE) | -6.16 | -0.43 | +93.0% |
| Realty Income Corpo… (O) | 1.13 | 1.17 | +3.5% |
Lineage, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-6.16 (2016) to $-0.43 (2025). Realty Income Corporation's EPS grew from $1.13 (2016) to $1.17 (2025) — a 0% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Lineage, Inc. generated $196M FCF in 2025 (+155% vs 2021). Realty Income Corporation generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+207% vs 2021).
LINE vs O: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LINE or O a better buy right now?
Realty Income Corporation (O) offers the better valuation at 57.3x trailing P/E (41.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Lineage, Inc. (LINE) a "Hold" — based on 16 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 — LINE or O?
Over the past 5 years, Realty Income Corporation (O) delivered a total return of +40.3%, compared to -46.1% for Lineage, Inc. (LINE). A $10,000 investment in O five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: O returned +67.6% versus LINE's -46.1%. 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 — LINE or O?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Realty Income Corporation (O) is the lower-risk stock at 0.19β versus Lineage, Inc.'s 0.92β — meaning LINE is approximately 386% more volatile than O relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — LINE or O?
Realty Income Corporation (O) is the more profitable company, earning 18.4% net margin versus -1.9% for Lineage, Inc. — meaning it keeps 18.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: O leads at 28.3% versus 4.7% for LINE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — O leads at 89.8%, 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 LINE or O more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LINE: -1.9% to $39.73.
06Which pays a better dividend — LINE or O?
In this comparison, LINE (5.8% yield) pays a dividend. O does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is LINE or O better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Realty Income Corporation (O) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.19)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (O: +67.6%, LINE: -46.1%), 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 LINE and O?
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: LINE is a small-cap income-oriented stock; O is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. LINE pays a dividend while O does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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