PSA vs. ELS
PSA (Public Storage) and ELS (Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Real Estate sector — PSA in REIT - Specialty, ELS in REIT - Residential. Over the past 10 years, PSA returned 7.52%/yr vs 7.45%/yr for ELS. Their 0.52 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.
Performance
PSA vs. ELS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PSA achieves a 27.36% return, which is significantly higher than ELS's 9.24% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PSA having a 7.52% annualized return and ELS not far behind at 7.45%.
PSA
- 1D
- 2.12%
- 1M
- -1.66%
- 6M
- 19.67%
- YTD
- 27.36%
- 1Y
- 21.06%
- 3Y*
- 9.43%
- 5Y*
- 5.25%
- 10Y*
- 7.52%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.55%
ELS
- 1D
- -0.70%
- 1M
- -1.78%
- 6M
- 4.81%
- YTD
- 9.24%
- 1Y
- 11.75%
- 3Y*
- 0.22%
- 5Y*
- -2.26%
- 10Y*
- 7.45%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.81%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $130.19M | $111.39M | $101.03M | |
| $528.69M | $412.27M | $331.91M |
PSA vs. ELS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSA Public Storage | 27.36% | -9.69% | 2.09% | 13.60% | -20.20% | 66.63% | 12.69% | 8.96% | 0.62% | -2.89% |
ELS Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. | 9.24% | -5.93% | -2.83% | 12.18% | -24.50% | 41.01% | -7.83% | 47.80% | 11.76% | 26.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between PSA and ELS is 0.52, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.52 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.59 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.59 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 25, 1993 | 0.52 |
The correlation between PSA and ELS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.59 - a consistent structural relationship.
Fundamentals
PSA:
$60.45B
ELS:
$12.62B
PSA:
$11.63
ELS:
$2.01
PSA:
27.87
ELS:
32.41
PSA:
1.68
ELS:
4.06
PSA:
11.67
ELS:
8.21
PSA:
6.23
ELS:
7.41
PSA:
$4.89B
ELS:
$1.59B
PSA:
$2.95B
ELS:
$687.44M
PSA:
$3.38B
ELS:
$625.51M
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Return for Risk
PSA vs. ELS — Risk / Return Rank
PSA
ELS
PSA vs. ELS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Public Storage (PSA) and Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. (ELS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PSA | ELS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.50 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.13 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.50 | 1.20 | +0.29 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.36 | 2.90 | +0.46 |
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Drawdowns
PSA vs. ELS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PSA drawdown since its inception was -60.19%, roughly equal to the maximum ELS drawdown of -58.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PSA and ELS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PSA | ELS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.19% | -58.96% | -1.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.20% | -10.34% | -5.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.62% | -21.04% | -4.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.93% | -32.54% | -5.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.93% | -41.46% | +3.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.56% | -15.47% | +9.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.75% | -9.96% | -5.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.22% | 4.29% | +2.93% |
Volatility
PSA vs. ELS - Volatility Comparison
Public Storage (PSA) has a higher volatility of 8.27% compared to Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. (ELS) at 7.71%. This indicates that PSA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ELS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PSA | ELS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.27% | 7.71% | +0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.00% | 13.60% | +4.40% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.88% | 18.29% | +5.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.13% | 22.19% | +1.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.53% | 24.18% | -0.65% |
Dividends
PSA vs. ELS - Dividend Comparison
PSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.70%, more than ELS's 3.25% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ELS Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. | 3.25% | 3.40% | 2.87% | 2.54% | 2.54% | 1.65% | 2.16% | 1.74% | 2.27% | 2.19% | 2.36% | 2.25% |
PSA Public Storage | 3.70% | 4.62% | 4.01% | 3.93% | 7.55% | 2.14% | 3.46% | 3.76% | 3.95% | 3.83% | 3.27% | 2.62% |
Financials
PSA vs. ELS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Public Storage and Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
PSA vs. ELS - Profitability Comparison
PSA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Public Storage reported a gross profit of 888.78M and revenue of 1.23B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 72.1%.
ELS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. reported a gross profit of 380.91M and revenue of 397.82M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 95.8%.
PSA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Public Storage reported an operating income of 466.68M and revenue of 1.23B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.9%.
ELS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. reported an operating income of 137.69M and revenue of 397.82M, resulting in an operating margin of 34.6%.
PSA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Public Storage reported a net income of 502.94M and revenue of 1.23B, resulting in a net margin of 40.8%.
ELS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. reported a net income of 96.32M and revenue of 397.82M, resulting in a net margin of 24.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
PSA and ELS have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PSA has higher volatility (8.27%) compared to ELS (7.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PSA dropped -60.19% vs ELS's -58.96%.
PSA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.05 vs 0.69), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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