Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) vs Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR)
CCI leads on 8 of 13 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Crown Castle Inc. and Digital Realty Trust, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — CCI vs DLR
growth of $100 · last 22yCCI +500.0%DLR +1435.0%DLR compounded faster
CCI DLR
CCI vs DLR: by the numbers
- •DLR is the larger company ($64.73B vs $40.22B market cap).
- •CCI trades at the lower earnings multiple (38.08 vs 48.47 P/E).
- •CCI converts more revenue to profit (25.13% vs 21.47% net margin).
- •DLR grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.00% vs -6.52% CAGR).
- •CCI pays the higher dividend yield (3.46% vs 1.99%).
Which is better, CCI or DLR?
Metric tally: CCI 8 · DLR 5It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCCI(lower P/E)
GrowthDLR(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeCCI(higher dividend yield)
QualityCCI(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | CCI | DLR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 38.08● | 48.47 |
| Forward P/E | 31.99● | 81.80 |
| P/S ratio | 9.56● | 10.14 |
| P/B ratio | — | 2.78 |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.36 |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.93 | 20.84● |
Profitability
| Metric | CCI | DLR |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 65.71%● | 25.12% |
| Operating margin | 48.01%● | 14.61% |
| Net margin | 25.13%● | 21.47% |
| ROE | -27.16% | 5.90%● |
| ROIC | 6.81%● | 1.30% |
Dividends
| Metric | CCI | DLR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.46%● | 1.99% |
| Payout ratio | 312.50% | 98.12% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CCI | DLR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -6.52% | 9.00%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -15.45% | 29.87%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -9.85% | 6.16%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CCI or DLR?
- It depends on your goal. value: CCI (lower P/E); growth: DLR (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: CCI (higher dividend yield); quality: CCI (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, CCI leads 8 to 5.
- Is CCI or DLR cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CCI is cheaper: CCI trades at a 38.08 P/E and DLR at 48.47.
- Which has grown faster, CCI or DLR?
- Over the past five years, DLR grew revenue faster — CCI at a -6.52% CAGR versus DLR at 9.00%.
- Does CCI or DLR pay a bigger dividend?
- CCI yields 3.46% and DLR yields 1.99% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CCI or DLR more profitable?
- CCI runs the higher net margin — CCI at 25.13% versus DLR at 21.47%.
- Which has been the better investment, CCI or DLR?
- Over the past 10-year, DLR delivered the higher annualized total return — CCI at 4.03% versus DLR at 9.78%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Crown Castle P/E ratioDigital Realty Trust P/E ratioCrown Castle dividend yieldDigital Realty Trust dividend yieldCrown Castle ROEDigital Realty Trust ROECrown Castle operating marginDigital Realty Trust operating marginCrown Castle revenue growthDigital Realty Trust revenue growthCrown Castle free cash flowDigital Realty Trust free cash flow
Crown Castle & Digital Realty Trust 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 14, 2026.