MAC vs REG

For growth investors, The Macerich Company (MAC) is the stronger pick with 10.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 4% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). Regency Centers Corporation (REG) offers the better valuation at 28. 0x trailing P/E (32. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Regency Centers Corporation (REG) a "Buy" — based on 32 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.

Over the past 5 years, The Macerich Company (MAC) delivered a total return of +89.

4%, compared to +44. 8% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: REG returned +31. 9% versus MAC's -53. 8%. 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), Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

36β versus The Macerich Company's 1. 29β — meaning MAC is approximately 255% more volatile than REG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 83% versus 2% for The Macerich Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Macerich Company (MAC) is pulling ahead at 10.

6% versus 3. 4% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Regency Centers Corporation grew EPS 33. 6% year-over-year, compared to 1. 3% for The Macerich Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, REG leads at 6. 9% 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.

Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the more profitable company, earning 33.

9% net margin versus -19. 4% for The Macerich Company — meaning it keeps 33. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: REG leads at 37. 0% versus 16. 5% for MAC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — REG leads at 44. 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.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for REG: 1.

3% to $80. 14.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Regency Centers Corporation (REG) offers the highest yield at 3. 5%, versus 3. 0% for The Macerich Company (MAC).

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

36), 3. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (REG: +31. 9%, MAC: -53. 8%), 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.

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.