Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions
AMT vs O
American Tower Corporation versus Realty Income Corp. — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.
O wins 3–2 on our six-dimension comparison, but AMT can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
O wins this comparison 3–2 across 6 dimensions. O yields 5.42% — higher than AMT's 3.77% — and carries a 5.8/10 dividend safety score (Mixed) vs 6.8/10 for AMT (Solid). O wins 3–2 on our six-dimension comparison, but AMT can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
On yield alone, O generates 5.42% vs 3.77% — a 1.65% difference that translates to $1,650 more per year on a $100,000 investment. On dividend safety, AMT scores 6.8/10 (Solid) vs 5.8/10 (Mixed) for O — investors prioritizing income reliability should weight that gap alongside the yield difference.
Scorecard at a glance
| Dimension | AMT | O | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 3.77% | 5.42% | O wins |
| Dividend safety | 6.8/10 | 5.8/10 | AMT wins |
| Growth trend | +0.88% vs 5y | +0.32% vs 5y | O wins |
| Volatility (beta) | 0.90 | 0.71 | O wins |
| Scale | $86.2B | $56.4B | AMT wins |
| Tax efficiency | Ordinary income | Ordinary income | Tie |
| Overall | 2 wins | 3 wins | O wins |
Dimension by dimension
O wins on yield (5.42% vs 3.77%)
On a $10,000 investment that's about $165 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
O's higher yield (5.42%) looks attractive but investors should weigh whether the extra income compensates for any additional risk versus AMT's 3.77% — especially if the higher yield is driven by covered calls or a falling share price.
AMT wins on safety (6.8/10 vs 5.8/10)
Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. AMT scores better on the weighted average of those factors.
AMT (6.8/10) scores 1.0 points higher than O (5.8/10). A higher safety score means lower historical indicators of dividend cut risk — payout ratio, yield zone, and trend all factor in.
O shows healthier dividend-vs-price trend
O's yield is 0.32% above its 5y average, versus 0.88% for AMT. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.
O is less volatile (beta 0.71 vs 0.90)
Lower beta means smaller swings vs the S&P 500 — generally a steadier hold for income investors.
AMT is 1.5× larger by market cap
Larger companies tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.
Both have similar tax-treatment concerns
Both pay primarily ordinary-income distributions (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT). Hold in a tax-advantaged account for the cleanest treatment.
How we compare these
Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.
This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.
Frequently asked
Which is better for income, AMT or O?
O wins 3–2 on our six-dimension comparison, but AMT can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.
AMT vs O: which has a higher dividend yield?
AMT yields 3.77% and O yields 5.42%. On a $10,000 investment that's about $165 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.
Is AMT or O a safer dividend in 2026?
AMT scores 6.8/10 (Solid) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. O scores 5.8/10 (Mixed). AMT is the safer pick on our scoring model.
Which has better dividend growth, AMT or O?
O's yield is 0.32% above its 5y average, versus 0.88% for AMT. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.
AMT vs O: which is more tax-efficient?
Both pay primarily ordinary-income distributions (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT). Hold in a tax-advantaged account for the cleanest treatment.
Get emailed when AMT vs O data updates.
Already own AMT or O? See if the other adds anything.
Connect your brokerage and Infnits checks whether adding O to your existing portfolio actually diversifies — or just duplicates exposure (ETF look-through included).
Check overlap with my portfolio →