SBAC vs. SUI: SBA Communications vs. Sun Communities Stock Comparison
How do SBA Communications (SBAC) and Sun Communities (SUI) 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
SBA Communications (SBAC) and Sun Communities (SUI) both fall under the Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group, but SBAC is classified in Specialized REITs while SUI is classified in Residential REITs.
Both SBA Communications (SBAC) and Sun Communities (SUI) are REITs — read their payout ratios and P/E alongside FFO (funds from operations) rather than at face value.
| Profile Item | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Name | SBA Communications Corporation | Sun Communities, 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 | Specialized REITs | Residential REITs |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Telecom Tower REITs | Single-Family Residential REITs |
| Market Capitalization | 19.78 billion USD | 14.93 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 16, 1999 | December 9, 1993 |
| Security Type | REIT | REIT |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -0.77% | -1.28% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -2.37% | 6.25% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -9.88% | -5.75% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 36.62% | 21.19% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.96 | 0.72 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -55.90% | -48.72% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.01M | 1.48M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.14 | -0.26 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.24 | -0.38 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Sun Communities (SUI) earns 4.89% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; SBA Communications (SBAC) has no ROE this period.
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
- --
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
4.89%
- Max
- 22.74%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 6.38%
- SUI
- 4.89%
- Q1
- 1.69%
- Min
- -10.86%
Net Margin (TTM)
Neither SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Sun Communities (SUI) 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 SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Sun Communities (SUI) 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 | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | -- | 4.89% |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.17% | 2.74% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both SBA Communications (SBAC) at 5.06% and Sun Communities (SUI) at 0.77% 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 SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Sun Communities (SUI) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) under our convention.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.06% | 0.77% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 2.25% | -8.37% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Sun Communities (SUI) at 3.07 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.
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
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.07
- Max
- 4.19
- SUI
- 3.07
- Q3
- 2.11
- Median
- 1.31
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.06
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Sun Communities (SUI) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72 against its industry range, while SBA Communications (SBAC) reports no figure this period.
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
- --
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
0.72
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.59
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.72
- SUI
- 0.72
- Min
- 0.20
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.19 | 3.07 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | 0.72 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 8.14 | 3.02 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Sun Communities (SUI) at 3.60% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while SBA Communications (SBAC) at 2.52% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.
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%
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
3.60%
- Max
- 8.62%
- Q3
- 5.95%
- Median
- 4.34%
- SUI
- 3.60%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
An earnings-based payout ratio fits neither SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) nor Sun Communities (SUI) 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 | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.52% | 3.60% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
P/E ratio is not a meaningful valuation yardstick for either SBA Communications (SBAC) in Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or Sun Communities (SUI) 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 SBA Communications (SBAC) at 6.94 and Sun Communities (SUI) at 6.39 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
6.39
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 8.02
- SUI
- 6.39
- 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 Sun Communities (SUI) reports 2.76, ranking against industry peers normally.
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
SUI
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry group
2.76
- Max
- 4.06
- SUI
- 2.76
- Q3
- 2.53
- Median
- 1.64
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.21
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SBAC | SUI |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | -- | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 6.94 | 6.39 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | -4.09 | 2.76 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |