STHO vs SAFE vs LAND vs PINE vs FCPT

For growth investors, Star Holdings (STHO) is the stronger pick with 23.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -10. 7% for Gladstone Land Corporation (LAND). Safehold Inc. (SAFE) offers the better valuation at 9. 7x trailing P/E (9. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Safehold Inc. (SAFE) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, Safehold Inc.

(SAFE) is the cheapest at 9. 7x versus Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. at 23. 4x. On forward P/E, Safehold Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Safehold Inc. wins at 1. 42x versus Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. 's 116. 82x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc.

(PINE) delivered a total return of +41. 2%, compared to -71. 0% for Safehold Inc. (SAFE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FCPT returned +97. 5% versus STHO's -56. 4%. 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), Four Corners Property Trust, Inc.

(FCPT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 15β versus Star Holdings's 1. 02β — meaning STHO is approximately 562% more volatile than FCPT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (FCPT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 184% for Safehold Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Star Holdings (STHO) is pulling ahead at 23.

9% versus -10. 7% for Gladstone Land Corporation (LAND). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Star Holdings grew EPS 24. 7% year-over-year, compared to -257. 1% for Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SAFE leads at 12. 6% 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.

Four Corners Property Trust, Inc.

(FCPT) is the more profitable company, earning 38. 2% net margin versus -58. 3% for Star Holdings — meaning it keeps 38. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SAFE leads at 79. 8% versus 11. 3% for STHO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FCPT leads at 95. 4%, 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, Safehold Inc. (SAFE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 42x versus Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. 's 116. 82x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Safehold Inc. (SAFE) trades at 9. 0x forward P/E versus 58. 5x for Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc. — 49. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FCPT: 6. 0% to $27. 00.

In this comparison, LAND (6.

7% yield), FCPT (5. 5% yield), SAFE (4. 6% yield), PINE (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. STHO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Four Corners Property Trust, Inc.

(FCPT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 15), 5. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FCPT: +97. 5%, STHO: -56. 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.

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: STHO is a small-cap high-growth stock; SAFE is a small-cap deep-value stock; LAND is a small-cap income-oriented stock; PINE is a small-cap high-growth stock; FCPT is a small-cap income-oriented stock. SAFE, LAND, FCPT pay a dividend while STHO, PINE do 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.