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IRM vs. SBAC: Iron Mountain vs. SBA Communications Stock Comparison

How do Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC) 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

Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC) both belong to the Specialized REITs industry, though IRM is classified under Other Specialized REITs while SBAC falls under Telecom Tower REITs.

Both Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.

Company profile comparison for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
Profile ItemIRMSBAC
NameIron Mountain Inc.SBA Communications Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorReal EstateReal Estate
GICS Industry GroupEquity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
GICS IndustrySpecialized REITsSpecialized REITs
GICS Sub-IndustryOther Specialized REITsTelecom Tower REITs
Market Capitalization31.73 billion USD19.78 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 1, 1996June 16, 1999
Security TypeREITREIT

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

IRM
SBAC
GSPC
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Total Return (1Y)12.13%-0.77%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)28.29%-2.37%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)23.46%-9.88%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

IRM
SBAC
GSPC
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)35.33%36.62%
Beta (5Y)1.190.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.03%-55.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.52M1.01M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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IRM and SBAC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.22-0.14
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.31-0.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Neither Iron Mountain (IRM) nor SBA Communications (SBAC) reports a ROE value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

--

Max
22.74%
Q3
10.54%
Median
6.38%
Q1
1.69%
Min
-10.86%
IRM
--

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

--

Max
22.74%
Q3
10.54%
Median
6.38%
Q1
1.69%
Min
-10.86%
SBAC
--
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): Neither stock reports ROE, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Net Margin (TTM)

Neither Iron Mountain (IRM) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor SBA Communications (SBAC) 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 Iron Mountain (IRM) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and SBA Communications (SBAC) 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

Profitability metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
ROE (TTM)----
ROA (TTM)4.72%8.17%
Net Margin (TTM)----
Operating Margin (TTM)----
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Iron Mountain (IRM) at 12.23% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while SBA Communications (SBAC) at 5.06% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for IRM.

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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

EPS growth isn't a meaningful figure for either Iron Mountain (IRM) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.23%5.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.58%2.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)----
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)----

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Iron Mountain (IRM) at 0.56 and SBA Communications (SBAC) at 0.19 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

0.56

Max
4.19
Q3
2.11
Median
1.31
Q1
0.62
IRM
0.56
Min
0.06

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

0.19

Max
4.19
Q3
2.11
Median
1.31
Q1
0.62
SBAC
0.19
Min
0.06
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Neither Iron Mountain (IRM) nor SBA Communications (SBAC) reports a debt-to-equity ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

--

Max
2.72
Q3
1.59
Median
0.99
Q1
0.72
Min
0.20
IRM
--

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

--

Max
2.72
Q3
1.59
Median
0.99
Q1
0.72
Min
0.20
SBAC
--
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): Neither stock reports debt-to-equity ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.560.19
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA7.698.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Iron Mountain (IRM) at 3.28% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while SBA Communications (SBAC) at 2.52% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

3.28%

Max
8.62%
Q3
5.95%
Median
4.34%
IRM
3.28%
Q1
3.26%
Min
0.00%

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

2.52%

Max
8.62%
Q3
5.95%
Median
4.34%
Q1
3.26%
SBAC
2.52%
Min
0.00%
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

An earnings-based payout ratio fits neither Iron Mountain (IRM) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor SBA Communications (SBAC) 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

Dividend metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.28%2.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)----

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

P/E ratio is not a meaningful valuation yardstick for either Iron Mountain (IRM) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or SBA Communications (SBAC) 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 Iron Mountain (IRM) at 4.07 and SBA Communications (SBAC) at 6.94 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

4.07

Max
14.47
Q3
8.02
Median
5.98
IRM
4.07
Q1
3.27
Min
0.43

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

6.94

Max
14.47
Q3
8.02
SBAC
6.94
Median
5.98
Q1
3.27
Min
0.43
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Iron Mountain (IRM) at -22.85 and SBA Communications (SBAC) at -4.09 report negative P/B ratio values, meaning both companies have negative book equity — neither multiple is meaningful for valuation.

IRM

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

-22.85

Max
4.06
Q3
2.53
Median
1.64
Q1
1.06
Min
0.21
IRM
-22.85

SBAC

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group

-4.09

Max
4.06
Q3
2.53
Median
1.64
Q1
1.06
Min
0.21
SBAC
-4.09
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Iron Mountain (IRM) vs. SBA Communications (SBAC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Iron Mountain (IRM) and SBA Communications (SBAC)
MetricIRMSBAC
P/E Ratio (TTM)----
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.076.94
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-22.85-4.09
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----