REIT - Residential
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UDR vs EQR
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
REIT - Residential
UDR vs EQR — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | REIT - Residential | REIT - Residential |
| Market Cap | $12.04B | $24.82B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $1.72B | $3.12B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $491M | $954M |
| Gross Margin | 46.0% | 46.3% |
| Operating Margin | 27.4% | 28.5% |
| Forward P/E | 66.2x | 50.8x |
| Total Debt | $6.19B | $8.78B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $37M | $56M |
UDR vs EQR — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| UDR, Inc. (UDR) | 100 | 100.2 | +0.2% |
| Equity Residential (EQR) | 100 | 109.2 | +9.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: UDR vs EQR
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
UDR is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 15 yrs, beta 0.39, yield 4.6%
- 41.5% 10Y total return vs EQR's 32.0%
- PEG 1.60 vs EQR's 9.98
EQR carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night.
- Rev growth 4.1%, EPS growth 7.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 4.3%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.38, Low D/E 77.0%, current ratio 0.05x
- 4.1% FFO/revenue growth vs UDR's 2.4%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 4.1% FFO/revenue growth vs UDR's 2.4% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (50.8x vs 66.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 30.6% margin vs UDR's 28.6% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.38 vs UDR's 0.39, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 4.6% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs EQR's 4.1% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | -2.5% vs UDR's -10.1% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 4.7% ROA vs EQR's 4.6%, ROIC 2.3% vs 4.2% |
UDR vs EQR — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
UDR vs EQR — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
EQR leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
EQR is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.1B annually — 1.8x UDR's $1.7B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 30.6% (EQR) to 28.6% (UDR).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.7B | $3.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.1B | $1.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $491M | $954M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $892M | $1.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +46.0% | +46.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +27.4% | +28.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +28.6% | +30.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +52.0% | +42.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.9% | +2.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +147.8% | -64.2% |
Valuation Metrics
EQR leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 22.8x trailing earnings, EQR trades at a 30% valuation discount to UDR's 32.7x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), UDR offers better value at 0.79x vs EQR's 4.47x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $12.0B | $24.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $18.2B | $33.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 32.69x | 22.77x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 66.24x | 50.84x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.79x | 4.47x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 18.15x | 15.68x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.03x | 8.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.95x | 2.26x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.61x | 19.25x |
Profitability & Efficiency
UDR leads this category, winning 5 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
UDR delivers a 12.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $8 for EQR. EQR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.77x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to UDR's 1.49x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), UDR scores 7/9 vs EQR's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +12.4% | +8.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.7% | +4.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.3% | +4.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.1% | +5.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.49x | 0.77x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6.2B | $8.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $37M | $56M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6.2B | $8.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 5.58x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
EQR leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in EQR five years ago would be worth $11,036 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,016 for UDR. Over the past 12 months, EQR leads with a -2.5% total return vs UDR's -10.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EQR at 5.5% vs UDR's 0.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +3.0% | +9.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -10.1% | -2.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1.8% | +17.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.2% | +10.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +41.5% | +32.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.6% | +5.5% |
Risk & Volatility
EQR leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
EQR is the less volatile stock with a 0.38 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than UDR's 0.39 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EQR currently trades 92.3% from its 52-week high vs UDR's 84.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.39x | 0.38x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $43.62 | $71.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $32.94 | $57.58 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +84.7% | +92.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.9 | 66.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.2M | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
UDR leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates UDR as "Buy" and EQR as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 9.0% upside for UDR (target: $40) vs 5.9% for EQR (target: $70). For income investors, UDR offers the higher dividend yield at 4.64% vs EQR's 4.06%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $40.25 | $70.15 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 38 | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.6% | +4.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 8 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.72 | $2.69 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | +1.1% |
EQR leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). UDR leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook).
UDR vs EQR: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is UDR or EQR a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Equity Residential (EQR) is the stronger pick with 4.
1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for UDR, Inc. (UDR). Equity Residential (EQR) offers the better valuation at 22. 8x trailing P/E (50. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate UDR, Inc. (UDR) a "Buy" — based on 38 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 — UDR or EQR?
On trailing P/E, Equity Residential (EQR) is the cheapest at 22.
8x versus UDR, Inc. at 32. 7x. On forward P/E, Equity Residential is actually cheaper at 50. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: UDR, Inc. wins at 1. 60x versus Equity Residential's 9. 98x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.
03Which is the better long-term investment — UDR or EQR?
Over the past 5 years, Equity Residential (EQR) delivered a total return of +10.
4%, compared to +0. 2% for UDR, Inc. (UDR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: UDR returned +40. 3% versus EQR's +31. 0%. 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 — UDR or EQR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Equity Residential (EQR) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
38β versus UDR, Inc. 's 0. 39β — meaning UDR is approximately 3% more volatile than EQR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Equity Residential (EQR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 77% versus 149% for UDR, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — UDR or EQR?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Equity Residential (EQR) is pulling ahead at 4.
1% versus 2. 4% for UDR, Inc. (UDR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: UDR, Inc. grew EPS 334. 6% year-over-year, compared to 7. 0% for Equity Residential. Over a 3-year CAGR, EQR leads at 4. 3% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — UDR or EQR?
Equity Residential (EQR) is the more profitable company, earning 36.
1% net margin versus 22. 1% for UDR, Inc. — meaning it keeps 36. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EQR leads at 36. 3% versus 18. 8% for UDR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EQR leads at 46. 3%, 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.
07Is UDR or EQR more undervalued right now?
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, UDR, Inc. (UDR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 60x versus Equity Residential's 9. 98x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Equity Residential (EQR) trades at 50. 8x forward P/E versus 66. 2x for UDR, Inc. — 15. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UDR: 9. 0% to $40. 25.
08Which pays a better dividend — UDR or EQR?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
UDR, Inc. (UDR) offers the highest yield at 4. 6%, versus 4. 1% for Equity Residential (EQR).
09Is UDR or EQR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Equity Residential (EQR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
38), 4. 1% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EQR: +31. 0%, UDR: +40. 3%), 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.
10What are the main differences between UDR and EQR?
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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