UHAL vs NSA

For growth investors, U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) is the stronger pick with 3.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) offers the better valuation at 30. 8x trailing P/E (136. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) is the cheapest at 30.

8x versus National Storage Affiliates Trust at 61. 9x. On forward P/E, National Storage Affiliates Trust is actually cheaper at 82. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) delivered a total return of +20.

0%, compared to -14. 5% for U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NSA returned +182. 3% versus UHAL's +48. 5%. 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), National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

81β versus U-Haul Holding Company's 1. 04β — meaning UHAL is approximately 28% more volatile than NSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 97% versus 2% for National Storage Affiliates Trust — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL) is pulling ahead at 3.

6% versus -2. 3% for National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: National Storage Affiliates Trust grew EPS -40. 7% year-over-year, compared to -44. 5% for U-Haul Holding Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, UHAL leads at 0. 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.

National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

8% net margin versus 5. 7% for U-Haul Holding Company — meaning it keeps 9. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NSA leads at 37. 0% versus 12. 3% for UHAL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UHAL leads at 85. 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.

On forward earnings alone, National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) trades at 82.

4x forward P/E versus 136. 8x for U-Haul Holding Company — 54. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for UHAL: 53. 6% to $80. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) offers the highest yield at 5. 3%, versus 0. 3% for U-Haul Holding Company (UHAL).

For long-horizon retirement investors, National Storage Affiliates Trust (NSA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

81), 5. 3% yield, +182. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NSA: +182. 3%, UHAL: +48. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (UHAL (Industrials) and NSA (Real Estate)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: UHAL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NSA is a small-cap income-oriented stock. NSA pays a dividend while UHAL does 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.