AMH vs. ELS: American Homes 4 Rent vs. Equity LifeStyle Properties Stock Comparison
How do American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) are both classified in the Single-Family Residential REITs sub-industry within the broader Residential REITs industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Both American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.
| Profile Item | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Name | American Homes 4 Rent Class A | Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Real Estate | Real Estate |
| GICS Industry Group | Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) | Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) |
| GICS Industry | Residential REITs | Residential REITs |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Single-Family Residential REITs | Single-Family Residential REITs |
| Market Capitalization | 13.38 billion USD | 12.67 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 1, 2013 | February 25, 1993 |
| Security Type | REIT | REIT |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 7.78% | 4.40% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 2.01% | 1.94% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -1.06% | -3.06% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 20.28% | 19.05% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.73 | 0.57 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -31.84% | -32.51% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.65M | 1.77M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.17 | 0.01 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.26 | 0.01 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 22.34% sits in the top ROE quartile, while American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 6.88% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ELS.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
6.88%
- Max
- 22.74%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- AMH
- 6.88%
- Median
- 6.38%
- Q1
- 1.69%
- Min
- -10.86%
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
22.34%
- Max
- 22.74%
- ELS
- 22.34%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 6.38%
- Q1
- 1.69%
- Min
- -10.86%
Net Margin (TTM)
Neither American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) is well served by net margin: heavy depreciation makes net income a poor profitability proxy in their businesses, where FFO-based measures are the standard read.
Operating Margin (TTM)
Neither side reports a meaningful operating margin: for American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), funding costs are part of the core business, so net margin and ROE are the cleaner profitability reads.
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 6.88% | 22.34% |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.29% | 6.06% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 7.03% and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.18% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
EPS growth isn't a meaningful figure for either American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 7.03% | 1.18% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 7.47% | 1.79% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 1.51 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 0.12 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ELS.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.51
- Max
- 4.19
- Q3
- 2.11
- AMH
- 1.51
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
0.12
- Max
- 4.19
- Q3
- 2.11
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.62
- ELS
- 0.12
- Min
- 0.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 0.70 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.83 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
0.70
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.59
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.72
- AMH
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.20
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.83
- Max
- 2.72
- ELS
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.59
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.20
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.51 | 0.12 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.70 | 1.83 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 5.18 | 4.23 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 4.23% and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 3.40% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
4.23%
- Max
- 8.62%
- Q3
- 5.95%
- Median
- 4.34%
- AMH
- 4.23%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- 0.00%
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.40%
- Max
- 8.62%
- Q3
- 5.95%
- Median
- 4.34%
- ELS
- 3.40%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
An earnings-based payout ratio fits neither American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): their distributions are mandated and conventionally measured against FFO, so the accounting-earnings ratio overstates both.
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 4.23% | 3.40% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
P/E ratio is not a meaningful valuation yardstick for either American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs): depreciation suppresses reported earnings in their businesses, and price-to-FFO is the conventional yardstick instead.
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 7.06 and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 7.96 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
7.06
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 8.02
- AMH
- 7.06
- Median
- 5.98
- Q1
- 3.27
- Min
- 0.43
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
7.96
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 8.02
- ELS
- 7.96
- Median
- 5.98
- Q1
- 3.27
- Min
- 0.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) at 1.75 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 6.99 prices above its benchmark range — ELS looks rich relative to book.
AMH
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.75
- Max
- 4.06
- Q3
- 2.53
- AMH
- 1.75
- Median
- 1.64
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.21
ELS
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
6.99
- ELS
- 6.99
- Max
- 4.06
- Q3
- 2.53
- Median
- 1.64
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.21
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMH | ELS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 7.06 | 7.96 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.75 | 6.99 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |