Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) vs Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL)
DAL leads on 9 of 13 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Crown Castle Inc. and Delta Air Lines, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — CCI vs DAL
growth of $100 · last 19yCCI +152.7%DAL +270.5%DAL compounded faster
CCI DAL
CCI vs DAL: by the numbers
- •DAL is the larger company ($55.48B vs $38.73B market cap).
- •DAL trades at the lower earnings multiple (12.13 vs 36.67 P/E).
- •CCI converts more revenue to profit (25.13% vs 6.87% net margin).
- •DAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (38.80% vs -6.52% CAGR).
- •CCI pays the higher dividend yield (4.79% vs 0.90%).
Which is better, CCI or DAL?
Metric tally: CCI 4 · DAL 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueDAL(lower P/E)
GrowthDAL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCCI(higher dividend yield)
QualityDAL(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CCI | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 36.67 | 12.13● |
| Forward P/E | 30.80 | 15.17● |
| P/S ratio | 9.20 | 0.83● |
| P/B ratio | — | 2.66 |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.21 |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.38 | 6.95● |
| FCF yield | — | 7.24% |
Profitability
| Metric | CCI | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 65.71%● | 26.19% |
| Operating margin | 48.01%● | 8.83% |
| Net margin | 25.13%● | 6.87% |
| ROE | -27.16% | 21.97%● |
| ROIC | 6.81% | 8.30%● |
Dividends
| Metric | CCI | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 4.79%● | 0.90% |
| Payout ratio | 416.67% | 9.72% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CCI | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -6.52% | 38.80%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -15.45% | 0.89%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | — | 115.85% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -10.43% | 13.90%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CCI or DAL?
- It depends on your goal. value: DAL (lower P/E); growth: DAL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CCI (higher dividend yield); quality: DAL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, DAL leads 9 to 4.
- Is CCI or DAL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, DAL is cheaper: CCI trades at a 36.67 P/E and DAL at 12.13.
- Which has grown faster, CCI or DAL?
- Over the past five years, DAL grew revenue faster — CCI at a -6.52% CAGR versus DAL at 38.80%.
- Does CCI or DAL pay a bigger dividend?
- CCI yields 4.79% and DAL yields 0.90% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CCI or DAL more profitable?
- CCI runs the higher net margin — CCI at 25.13% versus DAL at 6.87%.
- Which has been the better investment, CCI or DAL?
- Over the past 10-year, DAL delivered the higher annualized total return — CCI at 3.68% versus DAL at 9.39%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Crown Castle P/E ratioDelta Air Lines P/E ratioCrown Castle dividend yieldDelta Air Lines dividend yieldCrown Castle ROEDelta Air Lines ROECrown Castle operating marginDelta Air Lines operating marginCrown Castle revenue growthDelta Air Lines revenue growthCrown Castle free cash flowDelta Air Lines free cash flow
Crown Castle & Delta Air Lines appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 15, 2026.