PECO vs WMT

For growth investors, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.

(PECO) is the stronger pick with 10. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT). Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) offers the better valuation at 45. 3x trailing P/E (54. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.

(PECO) is the cheapest at 45. 3x versus Walmart Inc. at 47. 6x. On forward P/E, Walmart Inc. is actually cheaper at 44. 7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. wins at 0. 69x versus Walmart Inc. 's 4. 06x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.

(PECO) delivered a total return of +643. 9%, compared to +185. 3% for Walmart Inc. (WMT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PECO returned +697. 0% versus WMT's +505. 0%. 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), Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 12β versus Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. 's 0. 27β — meaning PECO is approximately 133% more volatile than WMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Walmart Inc. (WMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 67% versus 96% for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.

(PECO) is pulling ahead at 10. 7% versus 4. 7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. grew EPS 74. 5% year-over-year, compared to 13. 3% for Walmart Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PECO leads at 8. 4% 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.

Phillips Edison & Company, Inc.

(PECO) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 2% net margin versus 3. 1% for Walmart Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PECO leads at 27. 2% versus 4. 2% for WMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WMT leads at 24. 9%, 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, Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 69x versus Walmart Inc. 's 4. 06x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Walmart Inc. (WMT) trades at 44. 7x forward P/E versus 54. 1x for Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. — 9. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WMT: 5. 4% to $137. 04.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 0. 7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 12), 0. 7% yield, +505. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMT: +505. 0%, PECO: +697. 0%), 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 (PECO (Real Estate) and WMT (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.