Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) vs CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) 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 | CTRE | 108.7% revenue growth vs SBRA's 10.2% |
| Value | CTRE | Lower P/E (27.1x vs 29.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | CTRE | 80.6% net margin vs SBRA's 20.0% |
| Stability / Safety | SBRA | Beta 0.05 vs CTRE's 0.17 |
| Dividends | SBRA | 5.8% yield, vs CTRE's 3.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CTRE | +62.2% vs SBRA's +30.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CTRE | 5.1% ROA vs SBRA's 2.8% |
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
Sabra Health Care REIT is a real estate investment trust that owns and leases healthcare properties—primarily skilled nursing facilities and senior housing communities—to operators across the U.S. and Canada. It generates revenue almost entirely from rental income collected under long-term triple-net leases, where tenants cover most property expenses. Its competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate portfolio and long-term relationships with established operators in a fragmented industry.
CareTrust REIT is a healthcare-focused real estate investment trust that owns and leases skilled nursing facilities, senior housing, and other medical properties across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through long-term triple-net leases—where tenants pay rent plus property expenses—with skilled nursing facilities representing its largest segment. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized healthcare real estate expertise and relationships with quality operators in a fragmented industry.
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
CTRE leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SBRA leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SBRA is the larger business by revenue, generating $775M annually — 2.4x CTRE's $324M. CTRE is the more profitable business, keeping 80.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SBRA's 20.0%. On growth, CTRE holds the edge at +82.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $775M | $324M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $412M | $262M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $155M | $261M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $261M | $334M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +48.0% | +96.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +25.7% | +55.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +20.0% | +80.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +33.7% | +103.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +16.2% | +82.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -100.0% | +66.7% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, CTRE's 15.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SBRA's 18.7x.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.2B | $9.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $6.4B | $8.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | — | 25.87x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.34x | 27.11x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.22x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 18.68x | 15.72x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.68x | 18.99x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.78x | 2.05x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.84x | 22.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CTRE delivers a 6.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $7 in annual profit, vs $5 for SBRA.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.5% | +6.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.8% | +5.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +10.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +11.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.45x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.2B | -$198M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $72M | $198M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.3B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 10.76x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CTRE five years ago would be worth $20,333 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,120 for SBRA. Over the past 12 months, CTRE leads with a +62.2% total return vs SBRA's +30.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CTRE at 31.0% vs SBRA's 26.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +8.9% | +11.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +30.9% | +62.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +102.8% | +124.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.2% | +103.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +76.5% | +343.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +26.6% | +31.0% |
Risk & Volatility
SBRA is the less volatile stock with a 0.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CTRE's 0.17 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.05x | 0.17x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $21.07 | $41.72 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.75 | $25.48 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.5% | +97.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 69.8 | 69.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.2M | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SBRA as "Hold" and CTRE as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 3.8% upside for SBRA (target: $21) vs 3.7% for CTRE (target: $42). For income investors, SBRA offers the higher dividend yield at 5.76% vs CTRE's 3.13%.
| Metric | SBRASabra Health Care… | CTRECareTrust REIT, I… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $21.33 | $42.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 19 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.8% | +3.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.18 | $1.27 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 100 | 93.74 | -6.3% |
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 100 | 171.58 | +71.6% |
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) returned +103% over 5 years vs Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA)'s +51%. A $10,000 investment in CTRE 5 years ago would be worth $20,333 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | $261M | $775M | +197.3% |
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | $104M | $476M | +358.3% |
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s revenue grew from $261M (2016) to $775M (2025) — a 12.9% CAGR. CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s revenue grew from $104M (2016) to $476M (2025) — a 18.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 27.0% | 20.0% | -25.7% |
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 28.2% | 67.3% | +138.3% |
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s net margin went from 27% (2016) to 20% (2025). CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s net margin went from 28% (2016) to 67% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 13.4 | 32.1 | +139.6% |
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 46.6 | 23 | -50.6% |
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. has traded in a 11x–242x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~32x. CareTrust REIT, Inc. has traded in a 23x–103x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabra Health Care R… (SBRA) | 0.92 | 0 | -100.0% |
| CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) | 0.52 | 1.57 | +201.9% |
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.92 (2016) to $0.00 (2025) — a -100% CAGR. CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.52 (2016) to $1.57 (2025) — a 13% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. generated $349M FCF in 2025 (+8% vs 2021). CareTrust REIT, Inc. generated $394M FCF in 2025 (+161% vs 2021).
SBRA vs CTRE: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SBRA or CTRE a better buy right now?
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) offers the better valuation at 25.9x trailing P/E (27.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) a "Buy" — based on 19 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 — SBRA or CTRE?
On forward P/E, CareTrust REIT, Inc. is actually cheaper at 27.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SBRA or CTRE?
Over the past 5 years, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) delivered a total return of +103.3%, compared to +51.2% for Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA). A $10,000 investment in CTRE five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CTRE returned +343.7% versus SBRA's +76.5%. 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 — SBRA or CTRE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.05β versus CareTrust REIT, Inc.'s 0.17β — meaning CTRE is approximately 256% more volatile than SBRA relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — SBRA or CTRE?
CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the more profitable company, earning 67.3% net margin versus 20.0% for Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. — meaning it keeps 67.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CTRE leads at 98.7% versus 25.7% for SBRA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CTRE leads at 98.9%, 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.
06Is SBRA or CTRE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) trades at 27.1x forward P/E versus 29.3x for Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. — 2.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SBRA: 3.8% to $21.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — SBRA or CTRE?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. (SBRA) offers the highest yield at 5.8%, versus 3.1% for CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE).
08Is SBRA or CTRE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.17), 3.1% yield, +343.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CTRE: +343.7%, SBRA: +76.5%), 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 SBRA and CTRE?
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. 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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