PEB vs RLJ vs PK vs SHO

For growth investors, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) is the stronger pick with 6. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK). Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (SHO) offers the better valuation at 242. 3x trailing P/E (129. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB) a "Hold" — based on 28 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, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) is the cheapest at 242. 3x versus RLJ Lodging Trust at 593. 2x. On forward P/E, Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. is actually cheaper at 24. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) delivered a total return of -7. 7%, compared to -36. 4% for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SHO returned +12. 0% versus RLJ's -28. 7%. 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), RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

99β versus Pebblebrook Hotel Trust's 1. 36β — meaning PEB is approximately 37% more volatile than RLJ relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (SHO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 138% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) is pulling ahead at 6. 0% versus -2. 2% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. grew EPS -69. 8% year-over-year, compared to -240. 6% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RLJ leads at 4. 2% 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.

Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) is the more profitable company, earning 2. 6% net margin versus -11. 1% for Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RLJ leads at 9. 3% versus 5. 1% for PEB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SHO leads at 4. 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, Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.

(PK) trades at 24. 5x forward P/E versus 129. 9x for Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. — 105. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PK: 2. 5% to $11. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK) offers the highest yield at 12. 5%, versus 0. 3% for Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(SHO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 00), 4. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SHO: +12. 0%, PEB: -25. 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.

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: PEB is a small-cap quality compounder stock; RLJ is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PK is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SHO is a small-cap income-oriented stock. RLJ, PK, SHO pay a dividend while PEB 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.