ELS vs. WELL: Equity LifeStyle Properties vs. Welltower Stock Comparison
How do Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) and Welltower (WELL) 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 Welltower (WELL) both fall under the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group, but ELS is classified in Residential REITs while WELL is classified in Health Care REITs.
Both Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) and Welltower (WELL) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.
| Profile Item | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. | Welltower 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 | Health Care REITs |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Single-Family Residential REITs | Health Care REITs |
| Market Capitalization | 12.67 billion USD | 179.74 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 25, 1993 | March 19, 1980 |
| Security Type | REIT | REIT |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 4.40% | 31.94% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 1.94% | 45.79% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -3.06% | 26.70% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 19.05% | 23.54% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.57 | 0.78 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -32.51% | -40.78% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.77M | 2.75M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.01 | 1.17 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.01 | 1.69 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 22.34% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Welltower (WELL) at 3.92% 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%
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.92%
- Max
- 22.74%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 6.38%
- WELL
- 3.92%
- Q1
- 1.69%
- Min
- -10.86%
Net Margin (TTM)
Neither Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Welltower (WELL) 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 Welltower (WELL) 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 | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.34% | 3.92% |
| ROA (TTM) | 6.06% | 0.93% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Welltower (WELL) at 35.82% clears its industry range for revenue growth, far stronger top-line momentum than Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.18%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.
EPS Growth
EPS growth isn't a meaningful figure for either Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Welltower (WELL) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 1.18% | 35.82% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 1.79% | 22.69% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Welltower (WELL) at 1.66 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.
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
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.66
- Max
- 4.19
- Q3
- 2.11
- WELL
- 1.66
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Welltower (WELL) at 0.42 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 1.83 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.
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
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
0.42
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.59
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.72
- WELL
- 0.42
- Min
- 0.20
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.12 | 1.66 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.83 | 0.42 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 4.23 | 5.12 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 3.40% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while Welltower (WELL) at 1.30% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.
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%
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
1.30%
- Max
- 8.62%
- Q3
- 5.95%
- Median
- 4.34%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- WELL
- 1.30%
- 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 Welltower (WELL) 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 | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.40% | 1.30% |
| 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 Welltower (WELL) 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 Welltower (WELL) at 13.03 sits in the pricier quartile — WELL 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
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
13.03
- Max
- 14.47
- WELL
- 13.03
- Q3
- 8.02
- Median
- 5.98
- Q1
- 3.27
- Min
- 0.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both look rich against book: Welltower (WELL) at 3.69 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) at 6.99 prices even higher, above its industry range.
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
WELL
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.69
- Max
- 4.06
- WELL
- 3.69
- Q3
- 2.53
- Median
- 1.64
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.21
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ELS | WELL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 7.96 | 13.03 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 6.99 | 3.69 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |