SUI vs MAA vs ESS Stock Comparison

Sun Communities, Mid America Apartment Communities and Essex Property Trust Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
SUI Sun Communities Inc
$114.94 +2.4% 1M -7.7% 1Y
Market cap
$13.46B
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$2.41B
Div. yield
0.04%
Residential REITs Real Estate
2 wins

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

Mid America Apartment Communities leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Mid America Apartment Communities 6, Essex Property Trust 4, Sun Communities 2). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionSUIMAAESSLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $13.46B $13.62B $16.99B ESS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only -17.8x 34.1x 41.1x MAA
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS — 33.3x 52.8x MAA
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +18.4% +0.8% +4.7% SUI
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months -31.4% 18.0% 21.5% ESS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 3.5% 5.3% — MAA
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 1.4x 4.5x 5.3x SUI
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.04% 0.05% 0.04% MAA
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -7.7% -10.7% +4.8% ESS
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -10.2%/yr -10.5%/yr -4.5%/yr ESS
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 20.6% 19.8% 20.1% MAA
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 49/100 51/100 46/100 MAA

Percentile Scorecard

SUIMAAESS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisSUIMAAESS
Valuation 37 #92 of 145 45 #80 of 145 12 #128 of 145
Growth 34 #94 of 141 15 #120 of 141 34 #93 of 141
Profitability 35 #87 of 134 87 #18 of 134 93 #10 of 134
Financial Health 90 #15 of 138 60 #56 of 138 51 #68 of 138
Shareholder Returns 49 #68 of 131 46 #71 of 131 38 #82 of 131
Overall 49 51 46
  • SUI ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs
  • MAA ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs
  • ESS ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodSUIMAAESSSPY
1 month +2.4%+0.3%+1.2% -0.2%
3 months -7.5%-12.5%-6.7% +3.9%
6 months -10.4%-8.9%+2.6% +8.2%
Year to date -7.2%-14.5%+5.0% +12.9%
1 year -7.7%-10.7%+4.8% +12.3%
3 years +6.4%+1.0%+33.1% +87.4%
3 years, per year +2.1%+0.3%+10.0% +23.3%
5 years -41.4%-42.4%-20.5% +67.9%
5 years, per year -10.2%-10.5%-4.5% +10.9%
10 years +51.5%+32.0%+33.5% +261.1%
10 years, per year +4.2%+2.8%+2.9% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureSUIMAAESSSPY
Volatility, 1Y 20.6%19.8%20.1% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 20.5%19.2%21.8% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y -0.070.050.12 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.37-0.540.24 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -51.1%-50.2%-45.4% -25.4%
From 52-week high -16.2%-16.5%-7.9% -1.2%
52-week high $137.18$142.19$298.33 $779.14
52-week low $110.01$114.20$239.61 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleSUIMAAESS
P/E now vs peer median -18.4xmedian 26.3x 34.5xmedian 26.3x 42.7xmedian 26.3x
P/S now vs peer median 5.7xmedian 4.0x 6.2xmedian 4.0x 9.2xmedian 4.0x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 18.6xmedian 14.4x 15.3xmedian 14.4x 19.4xmedian 14.4x
P/FCF now vs peer median 34.9xmedian 23.3x 29.1xmedian 23.3x 30.4xmedian 23.3x
P/B now vs peer median 2.6xmedian 1.3x 2.5xmedian 1.3x 3.2xmedian 1.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.23median 1.91 -2.82median 1.91 -5.32median 1.91

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsSUIMAAESS
Revenue $2.41B $2.22B $1.93B
Gross profit $2.13B – –
Operating income $256.50M – $627.10M
Net income -$772.80M $410.71M $437.61M
Free cash flow $395.00M $473.83M $580.66M
EPS (diluted) $-6.13 $3.44 $6.44
Cash & equivalents $699.30M $51.84M $58.33M
Total debt $1.79B $21.95B $26.96B
Shares (diluted) 123.20M 116.14M 64.28M
Enterprise value $11.49B $13.40B $16.75B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricSUIMAAESS
P/E -18.4x 34.5x 42.7x
P/FCF 34.9x 29.1x 30.4x
P/Operating cash flow 16.1x 13.6x 15.8x
P/S 5.7x 6.2x 9.2x
P/B 2.6x 2.5x 3.2x
P/Tangible book 2.6x 2.5x 3.2x
EV/EBITDA 18.6x 15.3x 19.4x
EV/EBIT 58.0x 31.4x 38.8x
EV/Revenue 6.2x 8.8x 12.6x
EV/FCF 37.7x 41.0x 41.9x
EV/Operating cash flow 17.4x 19.2x 21.7x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.23 -2.82 -5.32

Growth

14 metrics
MetricSUIMAAESS
Revenue growth (1Y) 18.4% 0.8% 4.7%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -8.7% 1.6% 5.2%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 15.2% – –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) -5.7% – –
Operating income growth (1Y) 311.6% – -35.4%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 8.0% – -2.6%
Net income growth (1Y) -172.3% -30.0% -49.8%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -85.6% -12.5% -7.9%
EPS growth (1Y) -175.0% -29.0% -48.2%
EPS CAGR (3Y) -81.0% -12.2% -8.0%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 5.1% -8.0% 8.3%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 6.1% -4.2% 5.4%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -6.1% -12.0% 344.6%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 46.9% -4.5% -3.3%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricSUIMAAESS
Gross margin 88.3% – –
EBITDA margin 33.2% 57.1% 64.9%
Operating margin 10.6% – 32.5%
Pretax margin 3.9% 18.8% 18.9%
Net margin -31.4% 18.0% 21.5%
FCF margin 16.4% 21.4% 30.1%
Operating cash flow margin 35.5% 45.6% 58.0%
Return on equity -14.2% 7.3% 7.9%
Return on assets -7.5% 3.4% 3.4%
Return on invested capital 3.5% 5.3% –
Return on capital employed – – –
Asset turnover 0.2x 0.2x 0.1x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) -1.1x 2.5x 2.6x
Stock comp / revenue – 0.9% 0.6%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricSUIMAAESS
Debt / assets 18.2% 47.5% 51.9%
Debt / equity 0.3x 1.0x 1.2x
Net debt / EBITDA 1.4x 4.5x 5.3x
Debt / FCF 4.5x 12.0x 11.5x
Liabilities / assets 46.1% 53.5% 57.5%
Equity / assets 53.9% 46.5% 42.5%
Interest coverage 1.6x 3.1x 2.4x
Current ratio – – –
Quick ratio – – –
Cash ratio – – –
Altman Z-score – – –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricSUIMAAESS
Dividend yield 3.8% 5.2% 3.8%
Net buyback yield 4.0% 0.9% 0.3%
Shareholder yield 7.9% 6.0% 4.1%
Payout ratio (earnings) -71.7% 173.3% 151.6%
Payout ratio (FCF) 140.3% 150.2% 114.2%
Dividend growth (1Y) -46.4% 2.0% 4.0%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – 5.1% 4.8%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusSUIMAAESS
Forward P/E – 33.3xFY2026 52.8xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $-5.88FY2026 $3.57FY2026 $5.21FY2026
EPS growth, next FY -154.2%FY2026 -5.6%FY2026 -49.9%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after – -9.0% +29.6%
Revenue, next fiscal year $2.04BFY2026 $2.29BFY2026 $2.05BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY -11.5%FY2026 +3.8%FY2026 +9.2%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after -4.9% +1.5% -7.5%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersSUIMAAESS
Held by institutions 100.0% 97.1% 100.0%
Institutions holding 530 771 630
Change in shares held, QoQ +6.1% +8.2% +4.7%
Institutions buying 258 395 348
Institutions selling 197 262 183
Buyers to sellers 1.31 1.51 1.90

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

SUIMAAESS
SUI 1.00 0.61 0.51
MAA 0.61 1.00 0.80
ESS 0.51 0.80 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, SUI, MAA and ESS?

Essex Property Trust (ESS) is the largest by market capitalisation: Sun Communities (SUI) $13.46B, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) $13.62B, Essex Property Trust (ESS) $16.99B.

Which stock is cheaper, SUI, MAA and ESS?

Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Sun Communities (SUI) -17.8x, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 34.1x, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 41.1x). On next year's consensus earnings, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) is cheapest (Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 33.3x, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 52.8x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Sun Communities (SUI) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Sun Communities (SUI) +18.4%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) +0.8%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) +4.7%.

Which company is more profitable?

Essex Property Trust (ESS) has the highest net margin (Sun Communities (SUI) -31.4%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 18.0%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 21.5%). On return on invested capital, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) leads (Sun Communities (SUI) 3.5%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 5.3%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Essex Property Trust (ESS) returned the most: Sun Communities (SUI) -7.7%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) -10.7%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) +4.8%. Over five years, Essex Property Trust (ESS) compounded fastest (Sun Communities (SUI) -10.2%/yr, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) -10.5%/yr, Essex Property Trust (ESS) -4.5%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) has the highest dividend yield: Sun Communities (SUI) 0.04%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 0.05%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 0.04%.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) has been the steadiest (Sun Communities (SUI) 20.6%, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) 19.8%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 20.1%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, SUI, MAA and ESS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Mid America Apartment Communities (MAA) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.