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EQR vs IRM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Equity Residential (EQR) vs. Iron Mountain (IRM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Equity Residential (EQR) reported solid Q2 2026 results with raised same-store revenue and net operating income (NOI) guidance amid a pending all-stock merger with AvalonBay Communities.
- Iron Mountain (IRM) delivered strong Q1 2026 performance and is positioned for significant funds from operations (FFO) growth in Q2, driven by its expansion into data centers and digital services.
- Over recent weeks, IRM has shown stronger price momentum with substantial year-to-date gains, while EQR has traded more in line with broader REIT sector trends.
- EQR offers exposure to multifamily residential real estate with stable occupancy, whereas IRM provides a hybrid model combining traditional storage with high-growth data infrastructure.
- Market sentiment for EQR centers on merger completion risks and benefits, while IRM sentiment reflects optimism around its digital transformation and upcoming earnings.
- Both stocks operate in real estate investment trust (REIT) sectors but differ markedly in growth drivers, risk profiles, and recent relative performance.
Introduction
This comparison examines Equity Residential (EQR) and Iron Mountain (IRM), two real estate investment trusts (REITs) with distinct business models and market exposures. EQR focuses on multifamily residential properties, while IRM specializes in information management, storage, and increasingly data centers. Investors and traders seeking to understand sector-specific dynamics, relative momentum in the current market environment, and how differing catalysts influence performance may find this analysis relevant. The review draws on observable financial metrics and recent developments to highlight trade-offs between stability in residential real estate and growth in digital infrastructure.
EQR Overview and Recent Performance
Equity Residential (EQR) is a residential real estate investment trust (REIT) primarily owning and operating multifamily apartment communities across major U.S. markets. In recent market activity, the stock has reflected steady but measured performance following its second-quarter 2026 earnings release. Same-store revenues grew modestly year-over-year, with physical occupancy remaining high near 96%. The company raised the midpoints of its 2026 same-store revenue and net operating income (NOI) guidance while maintaining expense expectations. Sentiment has been influenced by the announced all-stock merger of equals with AvalonBay Communities (AVB), which would create a combined entity with substantial scale. Recent weeks have shown the shares trading within a range consistent with broader REIT movements amid interest rate considerations and housing demand stability.
IRM Overview and Recent Performance
Iron Mountain (IRM) operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) providing storage, information management, and data center solutions. Recent market activity has featured notable strength, supported by robust first-quarter 2026 results that included double-digit revenue and adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) growth. The company continues its strategic shift toward higher-margin digital and data center operations. Analysts anticipate substantial funds from operations (FFO) per share expansion in the upcoming second-quarter report scheduled for early August 2026. In recent weeks, the stock has maintained elevated levels relative to the start of the year, reflecting positive sentiment around execution in its growth segments and overall sector tailwinds for data infrastructure demand.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Equity Residential (EQR) and Iron Mountain (IRM) differ fundamentally in business models: EQR concentrates on multifamily residential leasing with predictable rental income streams, while IRM combines physical storage with expanding data center and digital services that offer higher growth potential. Recent momentum favors IRM, which has delivered stronger year-to-date price appreciation amid its data infrastructure focus, compared with EQR’s more moderate movement tied to residential fundamentals and merger developments. Risk factors include EQR’s exposure to interest rate sensitivity in housing and merger execution uncertainties, versus IRM’s higher leverage and competition in the data center space. Sector exposure places EQR firmly in traditional residential REITs, whereas IRM straddles specialty REITs with technology-adjacent characteristics. Market sentiment reflects cautious optimism for EQR around the pending combination and steadier expectations for IRM’s earnings trajectory.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, stability of recent results, and positioning relative to growth catalysts, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign a probabilistic edge to Iron Mountain (IRM). Its stronger recent momentum and alignment with expanding demand in data infrastructure provide a clearer near-term profile compared with Equity Residential (EQR)’s merger-dependent outlook and steadier residential metrics. This assessment remains subject to evolving market conditions and upcoming earnings data.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is EQR is a Hold and IRM is a StrongBuy.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
EQR’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileIRM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- EQR’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- IRM’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
EQR’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while IRM’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- EQR’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 6 bearish.
- IRM’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 1 bearish.
Price Growth
EQR (@Media Conglomerates) experienced а -1.09% price change this week, while IRM (@Specialty Telecommunications) price change was +3.82% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Media Conglomerates industry was +0.57%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.29%, and the average quarterly price growth was +0.54%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Specialty Telecommunications industry was +0.95%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.19%, and the average quarterly price growth was +1.19%.
Reported Earning Dates
EQR is expected to report earnings on Nov 03, 2026.
IRM is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Media Conglomerates (+0.57% weekly)Companies that operate in these three (or more) areas: broadcasting, cable TV, publishing and movies/entertainment. The companies usually have a large share in these markets. Walt Disney Co . is an example.
@Specialty Telecommunications (+0.95% weekly)Companies belonging to the specialty telecommunications sector provide voice and data transmission via a single method, such as fixed lines, digital subscriber lines (DSL), wireless technology, the internet or competitive local exchange carriers. Telefonica, Liberty Broadband Corp., and Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. are some of the big specialty telecom companies in the U.S.
| EQR | IRM | EQR / IRM | |
| Capitalization | 24.7B | 37.7B | 66% |
| EBITDA | 2.25B | 2.32B | 97% |
| Gain YTD | 8.202 | 54.943 | 15% |
| P/E Ratio | 28.69 | 89.80 | 32% |
| Revenue | 3.13B | 7.25B | 43% |
| Total Cash | 36.4M | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 8.57B | 19.4B | 44% |
EQR | IRM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 56 | 38 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 69 Overvalued | 97 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 25 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 78 | 1 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 48 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 28 | 100 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
EQR's Valuation (69) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as IRM (97). This means that EQR’s stock grew similarly to IRM’s over the last 12 months.
IRM's Profit vs Risk Rating (25) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is significantly better than the same rating for EQR (100). This means that IRM’s stock grew significantly faster than EQR’s over the last 12 months.
IRM's SMR Rating (1) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is significantly better than the same rating for EQR (78). This means that IRM’s stock grew significantly faster than EQR’s over the last 12 months.
IRM's Price Growth Rating (48) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as EQR (58). This means that IRM’s stock grew similarly to EQR’s over the last 12 months.
EQR's P/E Growth Rating (28) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is significantly better than the same rating for IRM (100). This means that EQR’s stock grew significantly faster than IRM’s over the last 12 months.
| EQR | IRM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 85% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 48% | 2 days ago 74% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 58% | 2 days ago 77% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 52% | 2 days ago 71% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 53% | 8 days ago 56% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | N/A |
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EQR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, EQR has been closely correlated with AVB. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if EQR jumps, then AVB could also see price increases.
IRM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, IRM has been closely correlated with DLR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 70% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if IRM jumps, then DLR could also see price increases.