SOHO vs RLJ

For growth investors, Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is the stronger pick with 4. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 4% for RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ). RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) offers the better valuation at 597. 6x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) a "Hold" — based on 18 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.

Over the past 5 years, Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) delivered a total return of -33. 6%, compared to -34. 5% for RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SOHO returned -26. 4% versus RLJ's -29. 9%. 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), Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 52β versus RLJ Lodging Trust's 0. 99β — meaning RLJ is approximately 90% more volatile than SOHO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 106% versus 8% for Sotherly Hotels Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is pulling ahead at 4. 6% versus -1. 4% for RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sotherly Hotels Inc. grew EPS -54. 5% year-over-year, compared to -94. 5% for RLJ Lodging Trust. Over a 3-year CAGR, SOHO leads at 12. 5% 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.

RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) is the more profitable company, earning 2.

1% net margin versus 0. 7% for Sotherly Hotels Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SOHO leads at 11. 4% versus 9. 3% for RLJ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SOHO leads at 25. 7%, 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Sotherly Hotels Inc. (SOHO) offers the highest yield at 18. 3%, versus 6. 9% for RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sotherly Hotels Inc.

(SOHO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 52), 18. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SOHO: -26. 4%, RLJ: -29. 9%), 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.

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.