Avalonbay Communities vs. Equity Residential: Which Residential REIT is a Better Buy?

NYSE: AVB | AvalonBay Communities Inc. News, Ratings, and Charts

AVB – The global real estate market has been resilient in the face of an unprecedented economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic. And strong occupancy and low mortgage rates should drive further growth for leading residential REITs like AvalonBay Communities (AVB) and Equity Residential (EQR). But let’s find out which of these stocks is a better buy now.

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (AVB - Get Rating) and Equity Residential (EQR - Get Rating) are two of the largest real estate investment trusts that invest in apartments in the U.S.  AVB has ownership interests in 294 apartment communities that represent 86,676 apartment homes in 11 states, while EQR has investments in 305 properties consisting of 78,568 apartment units across eight states.

The global real-estate market has been holding up well, achieving better  than normal figures and shrugging off the impact of the pandemic. The impressive rebound has been supported by lower mortgage rates, accommodative monetary policy, and upbeat buyer sentiment. The U.S. fiscal stimulus and affordable mortgage rates should keep fueling the industry’s growth. Hence, we believe this might be a good time to invest in residential REITs such as  AVB and EQR that have been witnessing robust demand.

In terms of past three-month performance, EQR is the clear winner with 5.7% returns versus AVB’s 0.1%. But which of these stocks is a better pick now? Let’s find out.

Latest Movements

AVB was recently declared a Global and Regional Sector Leader in the  2020 Real Estate Assessment, a benchmark that includes more than 1,000 REITs, by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark. The achievement reflects the company’s solid performance, which should  allow it to stand out in the market.

On December 2, the company announced a partnership with the National Urban League to increase diversity in leadership by 2025. This multi-year engagement should help AVB create a more dynamic and robust workforce that will contribute to the overall development of the company.

EQR also announced in December that the sale of an apartment property in San Diego, for approximately $312.5 million. The company intends to use the proceeds from the sale to bolster  its already strong financial position.

Recent Financial Results

In the third quarter ended September 31, 2020, AVB’s rental revenue declined 3.4% year-over-year to $566.39 million, attributable primarily due to a decrease in the sale of real estate because of the pandemic. The company’s joint-venture income grew 209.4% from its  year-ago value to $5.08 million. And AVB’s gain on other real estate transactions increased 76.7% from the prior-year quarter.

EQR’s rental income for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020 has declined 9.2% year-over-year to $622.43 million. The company collected approximately 97% of its expected residential revenues in the third quarter.

Past and Expected Financial Performance

AVB’s revenue and EBITDA have grown  at a CAGR of 3.7% and 3.2%, respectively, over the past three  years. The company’s tangible book value grew at a CAGR of 1.1% over this period.

Analysts expect the company’s revenue to increase 0.5% in 2021. Moreover, its EPS is expected to grow at a rate of 2.5% per annum over the next five years.

In comparison , EQR’s revenue and EBITDA grew at a CAGR of 2.6% and 1.9%, respectively, over the past three  years. The CAGR of the company’s tangible book value has been 1.4%.

Analysts expect the company’s revenue to decrease 3.4% in 2021. EQR’s EPS is expected to grow at a rate of 6.1% per annum over the next five years.

Profitability      

EQR’s trailing-12-month revenue is 1.12 times  AVB’s. But AVB is more profitable, with a gross profit margin of 65.9% versus EQR’s 65.2%.

Moreover, AVB’s EBIT margin of 33.1% compares favorably with EQR’s 31.8%.

Valuation

In terms of trailing-12-month P/E, EQR is currently trading at 54.42x, 65.2% more expensive than AVB, which is currently trading at 32.95x. Though EQR is less expensive in terms of trailing-12-month EV/Sales (11.71x versus 12.71x), its forward PEG of 30.43x is 211.1% higher than AVB’s 9.78x.

Thus, AVB is the more affordable stock here.

POWR Ratings

Both AVB and EQR are rated “Neutral” in our proprietary POWR Ratings system. Here are how the four components of overall POWR Rating are graded for AVB and EQR:

AVB has a “C” for Trade Grade, Buy & Hold Grade, and Industry Rank, and a “D” for Peer Grade. In the 25-stock REITs – Residential industry, it is ranked #11.

EQR has a “C” for Trade Grade, Buy & Hold Grade, and Industry Rank, and a “D” for Peer Grade. It is ranked #12  of 25 stocks in the same industry.

The Winner

While both AVB and EQR are good long-term investments considering their market dominance, AVB is a cheaper investment option for riding the industry’s growth. Moreover, we believe AVB’s better financials and higher profitability should help it perform better than EQR.

Want More Great Investing Ideas?

“MUST OWN” Growth Stocks for 2021

Should Investors Beware January 6?

7 Best ETFs for the NEXT Bull Market

 


AVB shares were trading at $157.63 per share on Friday morning, up $0.57 (+0.36%). Year-to-date, AVB has declined -1.75%, versus a 1.50% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.


About the Author: Imon Ghosh


Imon is an investment analyst and journalist with an enthusiasm for financial research and writing. She began her career at Kantar IMRB, a leading market research and consumer consulting organization. More...


More Resources for the Stocks in this Article

TickerPOWR RatingIndustry RankRank in Industry
AVBGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating
EQRGet RatingGet RatingGet Rating

Most Popular Stories on StockNews.com


Stock Market Update: It’s Complicated!

The S&P 500 (SPY) may have bounced 17% from recent lows, but the outlook for stocks from here is...in a word...COMPLICATED. Read on to get Steve Reitmeister full market outlook and trading plan for this complicated market environment.

Becoming More Bullish on Stocks, But...

Stocks are on a roll with the S&P 500 (SPY) up more than 10% from the recent lows. Before you start getting too giddy, you should read this updated market outlook and trading plan Steve Reitmeister.

Stock Market Held Hostage

Uncertainty is the term most often applied to this stock market. Uncertainty over tariffs. Uncertainty of whether the S&P 500 (SPY) will fall into bear territory. Uncertainty over what happens next. Steve Reitmeister dives into the uncertainty to make sense of the market in this week’s commentary...

Stock Market Standing on the 50 Yard Line

Steve Reitmeister contemplates where the stock market stands now and what happens next in trying to stay on the right side of the market action. One path points to bear and one to new highs for the S&P 500 (SPY). Which will it be?

Bear or Bull Market?

The S&P 500 is on the brink of bear market territory...but that outcome is not a given at this time. Steve Reitmeister shares insights gleaned from his 45 years of investing to shine a light on current conditions along with his top picks...

Read More Stories

More AvalonBay Communities Inc. (AVB) News View All

Event/Date Symbol News Detail Start Price End Price Change POWR Rating
Loading, please wait...
View All AVB News