Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. (MAA) vs Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY)
A side-by-side comparison of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 2, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
Total return — MAA vs NLY
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yMAA vs NLY: by the numbers
- •NLY is the larger company ($13.94B vs $13.41B market cap).
- •NLY converts more revenue to profit (40.52% vs 18.17% net margin).
- •NLY grew revenue faster over the past five years (22.35% vs 5.36% CAGR).
- •NLY pays the higher dividend yield (15.27% vs 5.24%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | MAA | NLY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 33.69 | 4.63 |
| Forward P/E | 31.45 | 5.98 |
| PEG ratio | 2.92 | N/A |
| P/S ratio | 6.04 | 1.91 |
| P/B ratio | 2.47 | 0.82 |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.39 | 16.67 |
| FCF yield | 4.25% | N/A |
For REITs like Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., GAAP P/E is distorted: heavy non-cash property depreciation depresses reported earnings and overstates the multiple. Real-estate companies are valued on funds from operations (FFO / AFFO) and price-to-FFO — see the Funds From Operations section. The P/E is shown for reference only.
For REITs like Annaly Capital Management, Inc., GAAP P/E is distorted: heavy non-cash property depreciation depresses reported earnings and overstates the multiple. Real-estate companies are valued on funds from operations (FFO / AFFO) and price-to-FFO — see the Funds From Operations section. The P/E is shown for reference only.
Profitability
| Metric | MAA | NLY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 31.83% | 99.28% |
| Operating margin | 26.88% | 102.58% |
| Net margin | 18.17% | 40.52% |
| ROE | 7.42% | 17.44% |
| ROIC | 5.17% | 5.74% |
Dividends
| Metric | MAA | NLY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 5.24% | 15.27% |
| Payout ratio | 178.51% | 71.25% |
Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.'s payout ratio is measured against GAAP earnings, which non-cash depreciation depresses for REITs — the dividend is conventionally assessed against funds from operations (FFO / AFFO) instead, so the GAAP figure overstates the payout burden.
Annaly Capital Management, Inc.'s payout ratio is measured against GAAP earnings, which non-cash depreciation depresses for REITs — the dividend is conventionally assessed against funds from operations (FFO / AFFO) instead, so the GAAP figure overstates the payout burden.
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | MAA | NLY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.36% | 22.35% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 11.49% | N/A |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 3.97% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -5.79% | 1.94% |
Frequently asked
- Which has grown faster, MAA or NLY?
- Over the past five years, NLY grew revenue faster — MAA at a 5.36% CAGR versus NLY at 22.35%.
- Does MAA or NLY pay a bigger dividend?
- MAA yields 5.24% and NLY yields 15.27% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is MAA or NLY more profitable?
- NLY runs the higher net margin — MAA at 18.17% versus NLY at 40.52%.
- How have MAA and NLY total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, MAA delivered 5.96% and NLY delivered 4.54% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Mid-America Apartment Communities & Annaly Capital Management 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 October 2, 2026.