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KRG vs UE
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Kite Realty Group Trust (KRG) vs. Urban Edge Properties (UE) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both KRG and UE are retail-focused REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) anchored by grocery tenants, yet they operate in distinctly different geographic markets — Sun Belt versus Northeast corridor.
- KRG offers a higher dividend yield of approximately 4.2% compared to UE's roughly 3.6%, though UE has been raising its dividend more aggressively, including an 11% increase announced for 2026.
- UE has delivered stronger year-to-date price performance in 2026 (approximately +24%) versus KRG (approximately +27%), though both have meaningfully outperformed the S&P 500.
- KRG's massive share repurchase program — $400 million across 16.9 million shares — signals management's conviction that shares trade below intrinsic value, while UE's capital recycling emphasizes acquisitions in high-growth corridors.
- Scale and portfolio depth favor KRG (180 properties, ~27.8 million square feet) versus UE (74 properties, ~17.3 million square feet), but UE's concentrated urban footprint generates higher rent per square foot.
- Analyst sentiment is mixed for both: UE carries a consensus "Hold" rating with an average price target near $24, while KRG trades with a lower P/E (Price-to-Earnings) ratio but faces questions about near-term earnings volatility.
Introduction
In the retail real estate investment trust (REIT) landscape, grocery-anchored shopping centers have proven among the most resilient property subtypes through changing economic cycles. KRG (Kite Realty Group Trust) and UE (Urban Edge Properties) both occupy this niche, yet their geographic focus, scale, and capital allocation strategies diverge in ways that matter to income-oriented investors and total-return seekers alike. This comparison examines how these two retail REITs stack up across fundamental, operational, and market-sentiment dimensions — offering a data-driven framework for those evaluating exposure to necessity-based retail real estate in the current environment.
KRG Overview and Recent Performance
KRG operates as a premier owner of open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers and mixed-use assets, with a portfolio of approximately 180 retail properties spanning roughly 27.8 million square feet. The company has deliberately reshaped its footprint toward high-growth Sun Belt markets, where population migration trends remain favorable. In recent months, KRG has demonstrated robust operational momentum: first-quarter 2026 same-property net operating income (NOI) rose 3.6%, driven by a 250-basis-point contribution from higher minimum rents and improving net recoveries. The company's retail lease rate climbed to 94.7%, a 90-basis-point year-over-year improvement, while average base rent per square foot reached $22.89 — a 6.5% increase from the prior year.
Perhaps most notable has been KRG's aggressive capital allocation. The company repurchased 6 million shares for approximately $152 million in the first quarter alone, bringing its cumulative buyback to 16.9 million shares for $400 million at an average price of $23.67. Management has affirmed full-year 2026 NAREIT FFO (Funds From Operations, a key REIT earnings metric) guidance of $2.06–$2.12 per share, while maintaining a conservative net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 5.2x. The signed-not-open lease pipeline — representing approximately $36 million of NOI — provides visibility into future cash flow growth. However, recent quarters have shown some revenue softness, with Q1 2026 revenue declining 9.2% year-over-year to $200.7 million, partly reflecting asset sales from the portfolio optimization strategy.
UE Overview and Recent Performance
UE is a NYSE-listed REIT specializing in grocery-anchored shopping centers concentrated in urban communities along the Washington, D.C. to Boston corridor. Its portfolio encompasses 74 properties totaling approximately 17.3 million square feet of gross leasable area — a smaller but strategically dense footprint in some of the nation's most affluent and supply-constrained markets. Urban Edge has executed steadily on its operational playbook: full-year 2025 FFO as Adjusted reached $1.43 per share, representing 6% growth over the prior year, and the company raised its dividend by 11% heading into 2026.
In recent market activity, UE has sustained positive momentum. Year-to-date, the stock has gained approximately 24%, fueled by strong leasing fundamentals — including record shop occupancy of 92.6% — and an active capital recycling program that has seen the sale of non-core assets at attractive capitalization rates while redeploying proceeds into higher-growth opportunities, such as the $39 million acquisition of Brighton Mills Shopping Center near Boston. Q1 2026 results beat consensus estimates, with EPS of $0.18 surpassing the $0.12 expectation. The company's 2026 FFO as Adjusted guidance of $1.47–$1.52 per share implies approximately 4.5% growth at the midpoint. However, UE trades at a notably higher P/E ratio (around 27.5x) compared to KRG, and its debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21x warrants attention in a higher-for-longer interest rate environment.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Geographic Footprint and Portfolio Composition: KRG's Sun Belt concentration taps into secular population growth trends — states like Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas continue to attract businesses and residents. UE, by contrast, is anchored in the densely populated Northeast corridor, where high barriers to entry limit new retail supply but where population growth is more modest. KRG's larger, more diversified portfolio (180 vs. 74 properties) offers broader tenant diversification, while UE's tighter footprint may concentrate both opportunity and risk.
Valuation and Yield: KRG trades at approximately 21.5x trailing earnings versus UE's 27.5x, a meaningful discount that partly reflects KRG's more volatile recent earnings pattern. KRG's dividend yield of approximately 4.2% exceeds UE's ~3.6%, though UE has demonstrated stronger dividend growth momentum. KRG's aggressive share repurchase program — a form of returning capital to shareholders — adds another dimension to the total-return equation.
Operational Momentum: Both REITs are posting healthy leasing spreads and occupancy gains. UE's record shop occupancy (92.6%) and 32% cash leasing spreads in 2025 stand out, while KRG's signed-not-open pipeline of $36 million in NOI and 350-basis-point leased-to-occupied spread suggest a meaningful near-term growth catalyst. UE's same-property NOI growth has been running higher (7.4% in Q2 2025 including redevelopment) than KRG's more recent 3.6% pace.
Risk Factors: Interest rate sensitivity remains a sector-wide concern for retail REITs. KRG's net-debt-to-EBITDA of 5.2x compares favorably to UE's debt-to-equity of 1.21x, though the metrics are not directly comparable. UE's higher P/E multiple may also expose it to greater compression risk if rates stay elevated. Both companies face tenant credit risk, but their grocery-anchored tenant mixes provide some insulation compared to discretionary retail.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency, balance sheet flexibility, and relative valuation, Tickeron's AI analysis would likely tilt cautiously in favor of KRG under current conditions. The combination of a lower earnings multiple, a more aggressive share repurchase program, a geographically diversified Sun Belt portfolio aligned with demographic tailwinds, and a sizable signed-not-open NOI pipeline provides a multi-layered case for favorable risk-adjusted positioning. That said, UE presents a compelling operational story — record occupancy, double-digit leasing spreads, and successful capital recycling in supply-constrained markets are genuine strengths. The AI assessment would likely frame UE as the stronger near-term operator but KRG as the more attractively valued, catalyst-rich candidate for investors with a slightly longer horizon. As always, the relative attractiveness of either stock depends on evolving market conditions, and AI-driven tools can help traders monitor shifts in momentum, trend quality, and signal strength as they unfold.
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 KRG is a Hold and UE is a Buy.
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).
KRG’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileUE’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- KRG’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- UE’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 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.
KRG’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UE’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- KRG’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
- UE’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
KRG (@Real Estate Investment Trusts) experienced а -2.35% price change this week, while UE (@Real Estate Investment Trusts) price change was -2.96% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Real Estate Investment Trusts industry was -4.56%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.64%, and the average quarterly price growth was +14.33%.
Reported Earning Dates
KRG is expected to report earnings on Nov 04, 2026.
UE is expected to report earnings on Aug 07, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Real Estate Investment Trusts (-4.56% weekly)A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company any that owns, and in most cases, operates, income-producing real estate – ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and timberlands. Some REITs are involved in financing real estate. Equity REITs invest in and own properties, while mortgage REITs own and invest in property mortgages. REITs are required by law to pay out at least 90% of their annual taxable income (excluding capital gains) to shareholders in the form of dividends. Some REITs could be more cyclical than others; for example, when an economy is undergoing a recession, hotel REITs could be more vulnerable, compared to say healthcare REIT given that healthcare needs are less likely to depend on economic cycles. American Tower Corporation, Prologis, Inc. and Crown Castle International Corp are some of the biggest REIT companies in the U.S.
| KRG | UE | KRG / UE | |
| Capitalization | 5.81B | 2.86B | 204% |
| EBITDA | 824M | 321M | 257% |
| Gain YTD | 24.245 | 20.353 | 119% |
| P/E Ratio | 17.89 | 26.66 | 67% |
| Revenue | 807M | 486M | 166% |
| Total Cash | 145M | N/A | - |
| Total Debt | 2.84B | 1.75B | 162% |
KRG | UE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 76 | 69 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 31 Undervalued | 34 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 32 | 46 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 69 | 77 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 43 | 47 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 86 | 34 | |
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.
KRG's Valuation (31) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as UE (34). This means that KRG’s stock grew similarly to UE’s over the last 12 months.
KRG's Profit vs Risk Rating (32) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as UE (46). This means that KRG’s stock grew similarly to UE’s over the last 12 months.
KRG's SMR Rating (69) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as UE (77). This means that KRG’s stock grew similarly to UE’s over the last 12 months.
KRG's Price Growth Rating (43) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is in the same range as UE (47). This means that KRG’s stock grew similarly to UE’s over the last 12 months.
UE's P/E Growth Rating (34) in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry is somewhat better than the same rating for KRG (86). This means that UE’s stock grew somewhat faster than KRG’s over the last 12 months.
| KRG | UE | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 58% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 63% | 3 days ago 61% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 53% | 3 days ago 54% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 50% | 3 days ago 60% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 53% | 3 days ago 50% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 58% | 3 days ago 55% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 58% | 17 days ago 59% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 49% | 3 days ago 50% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 40% | 3 days ago 49% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 47% | 3 days ago 56% |
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UE and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UE has been closely correlated with KRG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if UE jumps, then KRG could also see price increases.