Contrasting Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ) and OUTFRONT Media (NYSE:OUT)

OUTFRONT Media (NYSE:OUT) and Cousins Properties (NYSE:CUZ) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, valuation, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.

Dividends

OUTFRONT Media pays an annual dividend of $1.20 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.3%. Cousins Properties pays an annual dividend of $1.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.1%. OUTFRONT Media pays out 176.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Cousins Properties pays out 365.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. OUTFRONT Media is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Volatility & Risk

OUTFRONT Media has a beta of 1.82, suggesting that its stock price is 82% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Cousins Properties has a beta of 1.36, suggesting that its stock price is 36% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares OUTFRONT Media and Cousins Properties”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
OUTFRONT Media	$1.83 billion	2.08	$258.20 million	$0.68	33.47
Cousins Properties	$964.11 million	4.38	$45.96 million	$0.35	71.76

OUTFRONT Media has higher revenue and earnings than Cousins Properties. OUTFRONT Media is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Cousins Properties, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

94.4% of Cousins Properties shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.5% of OUTFRONT Media shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.4% of Cousins Properties shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares OUTFRONT Media and Cousins Properties’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
OUTFRONT Media	6.86%	21.56%	2.40%
Cousins Properties	6.51%	1.27%	0.70%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for OUTFRONT Media and Cousins Properties, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
OUTFRONT Media	0	1	6	0	2.86
Cousins Properties	0	6	6	0	2.50

OUTFRONT Media presently has a consensus price target of $22.00, suggesting a potential downside of 3.34%. Cousins Properties has a consensus price target of $32.00, suggesting a potential upside of 27.41%. Given Cousins Properties’ higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Cousins Properties is more favorable than OUTFRONT Media.

Summary

OUTFRONT Media beats Cousins Properties on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About OUTFRONT Media

OUTFRONT Media, Inc. leases advertising space on out-of-home advertising structures and sites. Its inventory consists of billboard displays, which are primarily located on the most heavily traveled highways & roadways, and transit advertising displays operated under exclusive multi-year contracts with municipalities in large cities across the U.S. and Canada. It operates through the U.S. Media and other segments. The U.S. Media segment includes U.S. Billboard and Transit. The company was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

About Cousins Properties

Cousins Properties Incorporated ("Cousins") is a fully integrated, self-administered, and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta and acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high-growth Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments.