O vs. SBAC: Realty Income vs. SBA Communications Stock Comparison
How do Realty Income (O) 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
Realty Income (O) and SBA Communications (SBAC) both fall under the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group, but O is classified in Retail REITs while SBAC is classified in Specialized REITs.
Both Realty Income (O) and SBA Communications (SBAC) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.
| Profile Item | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Realty Income Corp. | SBA Communications Corporation |
| 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 | Retail REITs | Specialized REITs |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Retail REITs | Telecom Tower REITs |
| Market Capitalization | 56.31 billion USD | 19.78 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | October 18, 1994 | June 16, 1999 |
| Security Type | REIT | REIT |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 10.34% | -0.77% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 11.84% | -2.37% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 2.34% | -9.88% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 16.95% | 36.62% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.63 | 0.96 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -34.47% | -55.90% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 7.39M | 1.01M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.36 | -0.14 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.52 | -0.24 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Realty Income (O) earns 3.48% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; SBA Communications (SBAC) has no ROE this period.
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%
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
- --
Net Margin (TTM)
Neither Realty Income (O) 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 Realty Income (O) 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
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 3.48% | -- |
| ROA (TTM) | 2.44% | 8.17% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Realty Income (O) at 9.07% and SBA Communications (SBAC) at 5.06% 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 Realty Income (O) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 9.07% | 5.06% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 19.80% | 2.25% |
| 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 SBA Communications (SBAC) at 0.19 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.
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
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
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Realty Income (O) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75 against its industry range, while SBA Communications (SBAC) reports no figure this period.
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
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
- --
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.17 | 0.19 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.75 | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 5.77 | 8.14 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Realty Income (O) at 5.45% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while SBA Communications (SBAC) at 2.52% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.
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%
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%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
An earnings-based payout ratio fits neither Realty Income (O) 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
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 5.45% | 2.52% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
P/E ratio is not a meaningful valuation yardstick for either Realty Income (O) 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)
SBA Communications (SBAC) at 6.94 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.
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
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
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
SBA Communications (SBAC) reports a negative P/B ratio of -4.09, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Realty Income (O) reports 1.42, ranking against industry peers normally.
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
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
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | O | SBAC |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 9.06 | 6.94 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 1.42 | -4.09 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |