NSA vs AMZN

For growth investors, Amazon.

com, Inc. (AMZN) is the stronger pick with 12. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) offers the better valuation at 38. 1x trailing P/E (35. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) a "Buy" — based on 94 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, Amazon.

com, Inc. (AMZN) is the cheapest at 38. 1x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust at 59. 9x. On forward P/E, Amazon. com, Inc. is actually cheaper at 35. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Amazon. com, Inc. wins at 1. 25x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 13. 91x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Amazon.

com, Inc. (AMZN) delivered a total return of +67. 3%, compared to +16. 4% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMZN returned +730. 1% versus NSA's +178. 4%. 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), National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

81β versus Amazon. com, Inc. 's 1. 51β — meaning AMZN is approximately 86% more volatile than NSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 2% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Amazon.

com, Inc. (AMZN) is pulling ahead at 12. 4% versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Amazon. com, Inc. grew EPS 29. 7% year-over-year, compared to -40. 7% for National Storage Affiliates Trust. Over a 3-year CAGR, AMZN leads at 11. 7% 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.

Amazon.

com, Inc. (AMZN) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 8% net margin versus 9. 8% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — meaning it keeps 10. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NSA leads at 37. 0% versus 11. 2% for AMZN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMZN leads at 50. 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.

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, Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 25x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust's 13. 91x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) trades at 35. 1x forward P/E versus 79. 6x for National Storage Affiliates Trust — 44. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMZN: 12. 2% to $306. 77.

In this comparison, NSA (5.

4% yield) pays a dividend. AMZN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

81), 5. 4% yield, +178. 4% 10Y return). Amazon. com, Inc. (AMZN) carries a higher beta of 1. 51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NSA: +178. 4%, AMZN: +730. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (NSA (Real Estate) and AMZN (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: NSA is a small-cap income-oriented stock; AMZN is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. NSA pays a dividend while AMZN 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.