ELS vs. O: Equity LifeStyle Properties vs. Realty Income Stock Comparison
How do Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) and Realty Income (O) 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
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) and Realty Income (O) both fall under the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group, but ELS is classified in Residential REITs while O is classified in Retail REITs.
Both Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) and Realty Income (O) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.
| Profile Item | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. | Realty Income Corp. |
| 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 | Retail REITs |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Single-Family Residential REITs | Retail REITs |
| Market Capitalization | 12.67 billion USD | 56.31 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 25, 1993 | October 18, 1994 |
| Security Type | REIT | REIT |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 4.40% | 10.34% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.94% | 11.84% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -3.06% | 2.34% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 19.05% | 16.95% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.57 | 0.63 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -32.51% | -34.47% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.77M | 7.39M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.01 | 0.36 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.01 | 0.52 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 22.34% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Realty Income (O) at 3.48% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ELS.
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%
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.48%
- Max
- 22.74%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 6.38%
- O
- 3.48%
- Q1
- 1.69%
- Min
- -10.86%
Net Margin (TTM)
Neither Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Realty Income (O) 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 Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Realty Income (O) 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 | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.34% | 3.48% |
| ROA (TTM) | 6.06% | 2.44% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.18% and Realty Income (O) at 9.07% 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 Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Realty Income (O) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 1.18% | 9.07% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 1.79% | 19.80% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Realty Income (O) at 2.17 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 0.12 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
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
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
2.17
- Max
- 4.19
- O
- 2.17
- Q3
- 2.11
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Realty Income (O) at 0.75 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.83 uses more debt funding than most peers.
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
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
0.75
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.59
- Median
- 0.99
- O
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.20
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.12 | 2.17 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.83 | 0.75 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 4.23 | 5.77 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 3.40% and Realty Income (O) at 5.45% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.
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%
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
5.45%
- Max
- 8.62%
- Q3
- 5.95%
- O
- 5.45%
- Median
- 4.34%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
An earnings-based payout ratio fits neither Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Realty Income (O) 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 | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.40% | 5.45% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
P/E ratio is not a meaningful valuation yardstick for either Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Realty Income (O) 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)
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 7.96 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Realty Income (O) at 9.06 sits in the pricier quartile — O costs more per dollar of sales.
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
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
9.06
- Max
- 14.47
- O
- 9.06
- Q3
- 8.02
- Median
- 5.98
- Q1
- 3.27
- Min
- 0.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Realty Income (O) at 1.42 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.
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
O
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.42
- Max
- 4.06
- Q3
- 2.53
- Median
- 1.64
- O
- 1.42
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.21
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ELS | O |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 7.96 | 9.06 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 6.99 | 1.42 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |