Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) vs Regency Centers Corporation (REG) 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 | REG | 9.7% revenue growth vs PECO's 8.4% |
| Value | REG | Lower P/E (32.1x vs 56.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | REG | 26.4% net margin vs PECO's 9.9% |
| Stability / Safety | PECO | Beta 0.40 vs REG's 0.52 |
| Dividends | REG | 3.4% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs PECO's 2.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | PECO | +9.0% vs REG's +6.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | REG | 3.2% ROA vs PECO's 1.6%, ROIC 6.1% vs 6.7% |
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
Phillips Edison & Company is a real estate investment trust that owns and operates grocery-anchored neighborhood shopping centers across the United States. It makes money primarily through collecting rent from retail tenants — with grocery stores serving as anchor tenants that drive consistent foot traffic — and through property management fees. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on necessity-based retail properties in strong markets and its vertically-integrated operating platform that allows for efficient portfolio management.
Regency Centers is a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, and develops grocery-anchored shopping centers in affluent suburban neighborhoods. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its portfolio of retail properties — with anchor tenants like Publix, Whole Foods, and Kroger providing stable cash flow — and also earns development fees from new projects. The company's competitive advantage lies in its high-quality portfolio concentrated in affluent, densely populated trade areas with strong demographics and limited new retail development.
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
REG leads in 1 of 6 categories — strongest in Analyst Outlook. 5 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
REG is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.6B annually — 1.9x PECO's $824M. REG is the more profitable business, keeping 26.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PECO's 9.9%. On growth, PECO holds the edge at +77.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $824M | $1.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $643M | $1.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $82M | $411M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $201M | $815M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +75.1% | +64.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | +58.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | +26.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +24.4% | +52.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +77.9% | +3.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +135.6% | +7.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 37.4x trailing earnings, REG trades at a 51% valuation discount to PECO's 77.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PECO's 10.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than REG's 14.4x.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.9B | $14.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.0B | $19.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 77.02x | 37.44x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 56.44x | 32.13x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 4.63x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.61x | 14.44x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.47x | 9.58x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.04x | 2.10x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.61x | 18.22x |
Profitability & Efficiency
REG delivers a 5.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $3 for PECO. REG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.73x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PECO's 0.80x.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.2% | +5.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.6% | +3.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.7% | +6.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.1% | +8.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.80x | 0.73x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.1B | $5.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5M | $56M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.1B | $5.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.45x | 5.13x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PECO five years ago would be worth $77,580 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,665 for REG. Over the past 12 months, PECO leads with a +9.0% total return vs REG's +6.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors REG at 11.5% vs PECO's 8.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.0% | +16.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +9.0% | +6.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +25.8% | +38.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +675.8% | +66.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +675.8% | +45.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.0% | +11.5% |
Risk & Volatility
PECO is the less volatile stock with a 0.40 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than REG's 0.52 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.40x | 0.52x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $40.06 | $79.08 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $32.40 | $63.44 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.1% | +99.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 73.7 | 70.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 771K | 1.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PECO as "Hold" and REG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 1.5% upside for REG (target: $80) vs 0.3% for PECO (target: $39). For income investors, REG offers the higher dividend yield at 3.39% vs PECO's 2.49%.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | REGRegency Centers C… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $39.40 | $80.22 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 13 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.5% | +3.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.98 | $2.68 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.5% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 100 | 630.43 | +530.4% |
| Regency Centers Cor… (REG) | 100 | 130.19 | +30.2% |
Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) returned +676% over 5 years vs Regency Centers Cor… (REG)'s +67%. A $10,000 investment in PECO 5 years ago would be worth $77,580 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | $242M | $661M | +173.2% |
| Regency Centers Cor… (REG) | $591M | $1.5B | +154.3% |
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.'s revenue grew from $242M (2015) to $661M (2024) — a 11.8% CAGR. Regency Centers Corporation's revenue grew from $591M (2015) to $1.5B (2024) — a 10.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 5.5% | 9.5% | +71.7% |
| Regency Centers Cor… (REG) | 25.4% | 26.6% | +4.9% |
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.'s net margin went from 6% (2015) to 9% (2024). Regency Centers Corporation's net margin went from 25% (2015) to 27% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 254.2 | 73.5 | -71.1% |
| Regency Centers Cor… (REG) | 69.2 | 35 | -49.4% |
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. has traded in a 74x–254x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~77x. Regency Centers Corporation has traded in a 22x–175x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~37x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 0.22 | 0.51 | +131.8% |
| Regency Centers Cor… (REG) | 1.36 | 2.11 | +55.1% |
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.22 (2015) to $0.51 (2024) — a 10% CAGR. Regency Centers Corporation's EPS grew from $1.36 (2015) to $2.11 (2024) — a 5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. generated $240M FCF in 2024 (+28% vs 2021). Regency Centers Corporation generated $790M FCF in 2024 (+99% vs 2021).
PECO vs REG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PECO or REG a better buy right now?
Regency Centers Corporation (REG) offers the better valuation at 37.4x trailing P/E (32.1x 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.
02Which has the better valuation — PECO or REG?
On trailing P/E, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the cheapest at 37.4x versus Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. at 77.0x. On forward P/E, Regency Centers Corporation is actually cheaper at 32.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PECO or REG?
Over the past 5 years, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) delivered a total return of +675.8%, compared to +66.6% for Regency Centers Corporation (REG). A $10,000 investment in PECO five years ago would be worth approximately $78K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PECO returned +675.8% versus REG's +45.5%. 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 — PECO or REG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.40β versus Regency Centers Corporation's 0.52β — meaning REG is approximately 31% more volatile than PECO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 73% versus 80% for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PECO or REG?
Regency Centers Corporation (REG) is the more profitable company, earning 26.6% net margin versus 9.5% for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: REG leads at 64.4% versus 64.3% for PECO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PECO leads at 71.2%, 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 PECO or REG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Regency Centers Corporation (REG) trades at 32.1x forward P/E versus 56.4x for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — 24.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for REG: 1.5% to $80.22.
07Which pays a better dividend — PECO or REG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Regency Centers Corporation (REG) offers the highest yield at 3.4%, versus 2.5% for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO).
08Is PECO or REG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.40), 2.5% yield, +675.8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PECO: +675.8%, REG: +45.5%), 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 PECO and REG?
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: PECO is a small-cap quality compounder stock; REG is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. 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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