Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) vs Welltower Inc. (WELL) 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 | WELL | 38.0% revenue growth vs PECO's 8.4% |
| Value | PECO | Lower P/E (56.4x vs 73.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | PECO | 9.9% net margin vs WELL's 8.6% |
| Stability / Safety | WELL | Beta 0.29 vs PECO's 0.40, lower leverage |
| Dividends | PECO | 2.5% yield; WELL pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | WELL | +36.8% vs PECO's +9.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PECO | 1.6% ROA vs WELL's 1.4%, ROIC 6.7% vs 0.9% |
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.
Welltower is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and invests in seniors housing communities, post-acute care facilities, and outpatient medical properties. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its healthcare real estate portfolio — with seniors housing contributing roughly 60% of net operating income, outpatient medical properties about 25%, and post-acute care facilities the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale and strategic partnerships with leading healthcare operators, creating a diversified portfolio concentrated in high-growth markets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
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
PECO leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). WELL leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WELL is the larger business by revenue, generating $10.8B annually — 13.2x PECO's $824M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 9.9% (PECO) to 8.6% (WELL). On growth, PECO holds the edge at +77.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $824M | $10.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $643M | $2.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $82M | $934M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $201M | $2.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +75.1% | +20.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | +4.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.9% | +8.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +24.4% | +19.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +77.9% | +46.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +135.6% | -26.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 77.0x trailing earnings, PECO trades at a 48% valuation discount to WELL's 149.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PECO's 10.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WELL's 54.4x.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.9B | $144.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.0B | $142.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 77.02x | 149.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 56.44x | 73.28x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.61x | 54.40x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.47x | 13.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.04x | 3.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.61x | 50.06x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PECO delivers a 3.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $3 in annual profit, vs $2 for WELL. WELL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PECO's 0.80x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PECO scores 7/9 vs WELL's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.2% | +2.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.6% | +1.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.7% | +0.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.1% | +0.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.80x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.1B | -$2.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5M | $5.0B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.1B | $2.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.45x | 0.81x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PECO five years ago would be worth $77,580 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $32,119 for WELL. Over the past 12 months, WELL leads with a +36.8% total return vs PECO's +9.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WELL at 42.6% vs PECO's 8.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +12.0% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +9.0% | +36.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +25.8% | +190.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +675.8% | +221.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +675.8% | +270.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +8.0% | +42.6% |
Risk & Volatility
WELL is the less volatile stock with a 0.29 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PECO's 0.40 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.40x | 0.29x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $40.06 | $215.56 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $32.40 | $130.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.1% | +96.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 73.7 | 69.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 771K | 2.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PECO as "Hold" and WELL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 6.9% upside for WELL (target: $221) vs 0.3% for PECO (target: $39). PECO is the only dividend payer here at 2.49% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PECOPhillips Edison &… | WELLWelltower Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $39.40 | $221.45 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 13 | 34 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.5% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.98 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 100 | 273.7 | +173.7% |
Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) returned +676% over 5 years vs Welltower Inc. (WELL)'s +221%. A $10,000 investment in PECO 5 years ago would be worth $77,580 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | $258M | $661M | +156.6% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | $4.3B | $10.8B | +154.9% |
Welltower Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.3B (2016) to $10.8B (2025) — a 11.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 3.5% | 9.5% | +173.5% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 25.4% | 8.6% | -65.9% |
Welltower Inc.'s net margin went from 25% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 254.2 | 73.5 | -71.1% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 50.6 | 133.5 | +163.8% |
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. has traded in a 74x–254x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~77x. Welltower Inc. has traded in a 27x–219x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~149x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Edison & C… (PECO) | 0.15 | 0.51 | +240.0% |
| Welltower Inc. (WELL) | 2.81 | 1.39 | -50.5% |
Welltower Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.81 (2016) to $1.39 (2025) — a -8% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. generated $240M FCF in 2024 (+28% vs 2021). Welltower Inc. generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+129% vs 2021).
PECO vs WELL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PECO or WELL a better buy right now?
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) offers the better valuation at 77.0x trailing P/E (56.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Welltower Inc. (WELL) a "Buy" — based on 34 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 WELL?
On trailing P/E, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is the cheapest at 77.0x versus Welltower Inc. at 149.0x. On forward P/E, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. is actually cheaper at 56.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PECO or WELL?
Over the past 5 years, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) delivered a total return of +675.8%, compared to +221.2% for Welltower Inc. (WELL). 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 WELL's +270.5%. 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 WELL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Welltower Inc. (WELL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.29β versus Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.'s 0.40β — meaning PECO is approximately 38% more volatile than WELL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Welltower Inc. (WELL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 80% for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PECO or WELL?
Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is the more profitable company, earning 9.5% net margin versus 8.6% for Welltower Inc. — meaning it keeps 9.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PECO leads at 64.3% versus 4.9% for WELL. 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 WELL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) trades at 56.4x forward P/E versus 73.3x for Welltower Inc. — 16.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WELL: 6.9% to $221.45.
07Which pays a better dividend — PECO or WELL?
In this comparison, PECO (2.5% yield) pays a dividend. WELL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PECO or WELL 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%, WELL: +270.5%), 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 WELL?
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. PECO pays a dividend while WELL 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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