Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) vs Realty Income Corporation (O)
O leads on 8 of 12 compared metrics, though CCI is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Crown Castle Inc. and Realty Income Corporation 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 O
growth of $100 · last 28yCCI +608.9%O +409.1%CCI compounded faster
CCI O
CCI vs O: by the numbers
- •O is the larger company ($58.49B vs $40.22B market cap).
- •CCI trades at the lower earnings multiple (38.08 vs 51.41 P/E).
- •CCI converts more revenue to profit (25.13% vs 18.94% net margin).
- •O grew revenue faster over the past five years (28.65% vs -6.52% CAGR).
- •O pays the higher dividend yield (5.16% vs 3.46%).
Which is better, CCI or O?
Metric tally: CCI 4 · O 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueCCI(lower P/E)
GrowthO(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeO(higher dividend yield)
QualityO(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | CCI | O |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 38.08● | 51.41 |
| Forward P/E | 31.99● | 34.95 |
| P/S ratio | 9.56 | 9.59 |
| P/B ratio | — | 1.45 |
| PEG ratio | — | 2.49 |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.93 | 20.50● |
Profitability
| Metric | CCI | O |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 65.71% | 68.62%● |
| Operating margin | 48.01%● | 29.27% |
| Net margin | 25.13%● | 18.94% |
| ROE | -27.16% | 2.86%● |
| ROIC | 6.81% | 24.52%● |
Dividends
| Metric | CCI | O |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.46% | 5.16%● |
| Payout ratio | 312.50% | 276.67% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CCI | O |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -6.52% | 28.65%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -15.45% | 0.35%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -9.85% | 3.50%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, CCI or O?
- It depends on your goal. value: CCI (lower P/E); growth: O (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: O (higher dividend yield); quality: O (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, O leads 8 to 4.
- Is CCI or O cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, CCI is cheaper: CCI trades at a 38.08 P/E and O at 51.41.
- Which has grown faster, CCI or O?
- Over the past five years, O grew revenue faster — CCI at a -6.52% CAGR versus O at 28.65%.
- Does CCI or O pay a bigger dividend?
- CCI yields 3.46% and O yields 5.16% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CCI or O more profitable?
- CCI runs the higher net margin — CCI at 25.13% versus O at 18.94%.
- Which has been the better investment, CCI or O?
- Over the past 10-year, O delivered the higher annualized total return — CCI at 4.03% versus O at 4.90%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Crown Castle P/E ratioRealty Income P/E ratioCrown Castle dividend yieldRealty Income dividend yieldCrown Castle ROERealty Income ROECrown Castle operating marginRealty Income operating marginCrown Castle revenue growthRealty Income revenue growthCrown Castle free cash flowRealty Income free cash flow
Crown Castle & Realty Income 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.