Yield Theory

Real Estate stock comparison

AMT vs ARE: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare American Tower Corporation with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
Sector
Real
Industry
Same SIC
Shared themes
2
Updated
2026-02-24

AMT vs ARE: quick comparison

Company factAMTARE
CompanyAmerican Tower CorporationAlexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
ExchangeNYSENYSE
HeadquartersBoston, MassachusettsNot recorded
Founded1995Not recorded
SEC industryReal Estate Investment TrustsReal Estate Investment Trusts
Fiscal year-endDecember 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-2410-K · 2026-01-26

How the businesses differ

American Tower Corporation (AMT)

American Tower is a real-estate investment trust that owns and leases wireless communications towers to mobile carriers around the world. Long-term leases with built-in escalators provide durable, recurring rent.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE)

Alexandria Real Estate owns life-science laboratory and office campuses leased to biotech and pharma tenants.

The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. AMT is classified by the SEC as Real Estate Investment Trusts, while ARE is classified as Real Estate Investment Trusts. The matching industry code strengthens the peer comparison, although product mix can still differ materially.

Which thesis does each company fit?

Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.

Study AMT when…

  • Long-term interest rates and cap rates
  • Occupancy and rent growth by property type
  • Data-center demand from AI workloads
  • Refinancing walls and commercial credit

Study ARE when…

  • Long-term interest rates and cap rates
  • Occupancy and rent growth by property type
  • Data-center demand from AI workloads
  • Refinancing walls and commercial credit

Shared research themes

US marketsRates & central banks

SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.AMT's fiscal year ends December 31, while ARE's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for AMTand 0 for ARE. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

AMT vs ARE FAQs

Are AMT and ARE direct competitors?

American Tower Corporation and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. share the SEC industry classification “Real Estate Investment Trusts.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.

Which is better, AMT or ARE?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this AMT vs ARE comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Go beyond AMT vs ARE.

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