Head to Head Contrast: Curbline Properties (NYSE:CURB) and Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS)

Curbline Properties (NYSE:CURB) and Saul Centers (NYSE:BFS) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, risk, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and valuation.

Dividends

Curbline Properties pays an annual dividend of $0.64 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.9%. Saul Centers pays an annual dividend of $2.36 per share and has a dividend yield of 7.3%. Saul Centers pays out 160.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Curbline Properties and Saul Centers”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Curbline Properties	$120.88 million	19.53	$10.26 million	N/A	N/A
Saul Centers	$268.85 million	2.90	$50.65 million	$1.47	21.90

Saul Centers has higher revenue and earnings than Curbline Properties.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

50.0% of Saul Centers shares are held by institutional investors. 8.6% of Curbline Properties shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 50.2% of Saul Centers shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Curbline Properties and Saul Centers’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Curbline Properties	11.74%	1.01%	0.94%
Saul Centers	17.09%	14.69%	2.22%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Curbline Properties and Saul Centers, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Curbline Properties	0	5	3	0	2.38
Saul Centers	0	0	1	0	3.00

Curbline Properties currently has a consensus target price of $25.6786, indicating a potential upside of 14.43%. Saul Centers has a consensus target price of $45.50, indicating a potential upside of 41.34%. Given Saul Centers’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Saul Centers is more favorable than Curbline Properties.

Summary

Saul Centers beats Curbline Properties on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Curbline Properties

Curbline Properties Corp. is a real estate investment trust which is an owner and manager of convenience shopping centers positioned on the curbline of well-trafficked intersections and major vehicular corridors in suburban. Curbline Properties Corp. is based in NEW YORK.

About Saul Centers

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity REIT headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio comprised of 61 properties that includes (a) 57 community and neighborhood Shopping Centers and Mixed-Use properties with approximately 9.8 million square feet of leasable area and (b) four land and development properties. Over 85% of the Company’s property operating income is generated from properties in the metropolitan Washington, DC/Baltimore area.