Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) vs First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR) 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 | FR | 8.7% revenue growth vs PLYM's -0.7% |
| Value | PLYM | Lower P/E (7.1x vs 36.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | PLYM | 48.5% net margin vs FR's 33.2% |
| Stability / Safety | PLYM | Beta 0.53 vs FR's 0.78 |
| Dividends | PLYM | 4.4% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs FR's 2.3% |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLYM | +30.9% vs FR's +13.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PLYM | 5.9% ROA vs FR's 4.3%, ROIC 2.1% vs 4.6% |
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
Plymouth Industrial REIT is a real estate investment trust that acquires and operates industrial properties — primarily warehouses and distribution facilities — in secondary and select primary U.S. markets. It generates revenue primarily through rental income from its industrial portfolio, supplemented by property management fees from its vertically integrated operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its focus on underserved secondary markets where it can leverage local expertise and its integrated management platform to create value through active asset repositioning.
First Industrial Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, and develops industrial properties like warehouses and distribution centers across major U.S. markets. It generates revenue primarily through property leasing — collecting rent from tenants — with additional income from property sales and development activities. The company's competitive advantage lies in its strategic portfolio concentrated in high-demand logistics hubs and its integrated platform for development, leasing, and property management.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
FR leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). PLYM leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
FR is the larger business by revenue, generating $714M annually — 3.7x PLYM's $192M. PLYM is the more profitable business, keeping 48.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FR's 33.2%. On growth, FR holds the edge at +7.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $192M | $714M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $116M | $455M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $93M | $237M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $95M | $437M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +69.7% | +73.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.3% | +36.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +48.5% | +33.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +49.4% | +61.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -1.4% | +7.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.5% | -34.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 7.1x trailing earnings, PLYM trades at a 76% valuation discount to FR's 29.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PLYM's 13.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than FR's 22.2x.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $979M | $8.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.6B | $10.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.11x | 29.10x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 36.53x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 10.00x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 13.32x | 22.24x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.94x | 12.44x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.69x | 3.04x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.19x | 62.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PLYM delivers a 16.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $17 in annual profit, vs $9 for FR. FR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.81x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PLYM's 1.10x.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +16.8% | +8.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.9% | +4.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | +4.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.8% | +5.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.10x | 0.81x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $628M | $2.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $18M | $45M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $646M | $2.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.97x | 3.59x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PLYM five years ago would be worth $17,070 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,273 for FR. Over the past 12 months, PLYM leads with a +30.9% total return vs FR's +13.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors FR at 8.7% vs PLYM's 4.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.5% | +9.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +30.9% | +13.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +13.5% | +28.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +70.7% | +62.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +68.9% | +245.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +4.3% | +8.7% |
Risk & Volatility
PLYM is the less volatile stock with a 0.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than FR's 0.78 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.53x | 0.78x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.74 | $64.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.70 | $40.31 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.7% | +98.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.8 | 72.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 885K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PLYM as "Hold" and FR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 1.2% upside for FR (target: $64) vs 0.1% for PLYM (target: $22). For income investors, PLYM offers the higher dividend yield at 4.40% vs FR's 2.31%.
| Metric | PLYMPlymouth Industri… | FRFirst Industrial … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $22.00 | $63.89 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.4% | +2.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 13 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.97 | $1.46 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Jan 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | 100 | 112.9 | +12.9% |
| First Industrial Re… (FR) | 100 | 144.28 | +44.3% |
Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) returned +71% over 5 years vs First Industrial Re… (FR)'s +63%. A $10,000 investment in PLYM 5 years ago would be worth $17,070 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | $19M | $198M | +928.3% |
| First Industrial Re… (FR) | $366M | $672M | +83.7% |
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.'s revenue grew from $19M (2015) to $198M (2024) — a 29.6% CAGR. First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s revenue grew from $366M (2015) to $672M (2024) — a 7.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | -2.5% | 70.2% | +2884.6% |
| First Industrial Re… (FR) | 20.2% | 42.7% | +111.9% |
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2015) to 70% (2024). First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s net margin went from 20% (2015) to 43% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Industrial Re… (FR) | 18.6 | 23.1 | +24.2% |
First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. has traded in a 18x–32x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~29x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth Industrial… (PLYM) | -13.42 | 3.09 | +123.0% |
| First Industrial Re… (FR) | 0.66 | 2.17 | +228.8% |
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-13.42 (2015) to $3.09 (2024). First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.66 (2015) to $2.17 (2024) — a 14% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. generated $96M FCF in 2024 (+194% vs 2021). First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. generated $135M FCF in 2024 (+298% vs 2021).
PLYM vs FR: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PLYM or FR a better buy right now?
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) offers the better valuation at 7.1x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR) a "Buy" — based on 29 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 — PLYM or FR?
On trailing P/E, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the cheapest at 7.1x versus First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. at 29.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PLYM or FR?
Over the past 5 years, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) delivered a total return of +70.7%, compared to +62.7% for First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR). A $10,000 investment in PLYM five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FR returned +245.4% versus PLYM's +68.9%. 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 — PLYM or FR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.53β versus First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.'s 0.78β — meaning FR is approximately 49% more volatile than PLYM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 81% versus 110% for Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PLYM or FR?
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the more profitable company, earning 70.2% net margin versus 42.7% for First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. — meaning it keeps 70.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FR leads at 44.3% versus 18.2% for PLYM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FR leads at 72.6%, 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 PLYM or FR more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FR: 1.2% to $63.89.
07Which pays a better dividend — PLYM or FR?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) offers the highest yield at 4.4%, versus 2.3% for First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR).
08Is PLYM or FR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc. (PLYM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.53), 4.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PLYM: +68.9%, FR: +245.4%), 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 PLYM and FR?
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: PLYM is a small-cap deep-value stock; FR is a small-cap quality compounder 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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