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Sun Communities (SUI)
NYSE:SUI

Sun Communities (SUI) AI Stock Analysis

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Sun Communities

(NYSE:SUI)

Rating:70Outperform
Price Target:
$136.00
▲( 12.45% Upside)
Sun Communities presents a strong financial and operational foundation with positive cash flow, but faces challenges with high leverage and low profit margins. The strategic sale of Safe Harbor Marinas and a stable technical outlook are positive, but the high valuation remains a concern. The stock is supported by strategic moves and dividend yield, but careful consideration of macroeconomic impacts is necessary.
Positive Factors
Debt Reduction
The Company is planning to use the proceeds primarily for debt reduction, resulting in a pro forma net debt/EBITDA ratio expected to be within 2.5-3.0x, down from current levels of 6.0x.
Financial Performance
Sun Communities, Inc. increased its price objective to $132 to reflect an improved balance sheet following smart capital allocation decisions with the Safe Harbor sale proceeds.
Occupancy Rates
Sun Communities, Inc. reported a stronger performance in the manufactured housing sector with improved occupancy rates, reaching 99% across its MH and RV portfolios.
Negative Factors
Earnings Guidance
The 2025 FFO guidance came in below consensus and a penny below BofA.
RV Business Pressure
The transient RV business at Sun Communities, Inc. remains under pressure due to normalization after increased travel post-COVID and general macroeconomic uncertainty.
Valuation Concerns
The analyst reiterates an Underperform rating based on valuation concerns, CEO uncertainty, and risks associated with the RV and UK markets.

Sun Communities (SUI) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Sun Communities Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionSun Communities, Inc. (SUI) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the ownership and operation of manufactured housing communities, recreational vehicle (RV) resorts, and marinas. The company, founded in 1975 and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, focuses on providing affordable housing and vacation accommodations across the United States and Canada. Sun Communities is recognized for its well-maintained properties and commitment to offering quality living experiences for its residents and guests.
How the Company Makes MoneySun Communities generates revenue primarily through the leasing of land and facilities to residents in its manufactured housing communities and RV resorts. The company earns rental income from homeowners who lease the land on which their manufactured homes are placed, as well as from RV owners who pay for short-term or long-term site rentals. Additionally, Sun Communities derives income from selling homes within its communities and providing various services, such as utilities and amenities, to residents and guests. The company also operates marinas, generating revenue from slip rentals and related services. Strategic acquisitions and development projects further contribute to Sun Communities' earnings by expanding its portfolio and enhancing its service offerings. Partnerships with homebuilders and RV manufacturers, alongside a strong focus on customer service and property management, play significant roles in maintaining steady income streams.

Sun Communities Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Sun Communities shows steady revenue growth and strong operational performance with solid EBIT and EBITDA margins. However, the net profit margin and return on equity are low, and high leverage poses financial risk. Strong cash flow generation adds stability, but improvements in profitability are needed.
Income Statement
68
Positive
Sun Communities shows steady revenue growth with a TTM revenue of $2.99 billion, although there has been a slight decline from the previous year. The gross profit margin remains strong at 47.7% in the TTM period. However, the net profit margin is relatively low at 2.56%, indicating challenges in converting revenue into net income. Both EBIT and EBITDA margins show solid profitability at 17.26% and 35.2%, respectively, providing a stable operational performance.
Balance Sheet
62
Positive
The company's balance sheet reflects a high debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, suggesting significant leverage, which could pose financial risk. Return on equity is modest at 1.11%, indicating limited profit generation from shareholders' equity. However, the equity ratio stands at 41.93%, showing a reasonable proportion of equity financing compared to total assets, which adds some stability.
Cash Flow
74
Positive
Operating cash flow is robust at $862.4 million, contributing positively to a strong free cash flow. The operating cash flow to net income ratio stands at 11.24, highlighting a strong cash-generating ability relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio is also robust, demonstrating effective cash management, although there has been minimal growth in free cash flow compared to previous periods.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
3.00B3.20B3.18B2.93B2.26B1.39B
Gross Profit
1.43B1.50B1.49B1.42B1.15B774.22M
EBIT
517.60M522.60M1.22B588.00M462.76M293.03M
EBITDA
1.06B1.10B771.60M2.27B1.68B1.26B
Net Income Common Stockholders
76.70M89.00M-213.30M242.00M380.20M131.61M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
97.40M47.40M29.20M217.70M265.10M223.02M
Total Assets
16.51B16.55B16.94B17.08B13.49B11.21B
Total Debt
7.35B7.35B7.78B9.33B5.67B4.69B
Net Debt
7.25B7.31B7.75B9.24B5.59B4.59B
Total Liabilities
9.48B9.36B9.77B9.20B6.76B5.58B
Stockholders Equity
6.92B7.08B7.08B7.81B6.62B5.53B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
862.40M861.00M790.50M1.60B472.37M1.07B
Operating Cash Flow
862.40M861.00M790.50M734.90M753.57M548.95M
Investing Cash Flow
-167.70M-267.40M-919.50M-3.06B-2.34B-2.49B
Financing Cash Flow
-716.90M-571.60M80.30M2.35B1.57B2.00B

Sun Communities Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price120.94
Price Trends
50DMA
121.52
Negative
100DMA
121.73
Negative
200DMA
123.34
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
0.37
Negative
RSI
48.93
Neutral
STOCH
58.17
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SUI, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 120.94 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 121.56, below the 50-day MA of 121.52, and below the 200-day MA of 123.34, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of 0.37 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 48.93 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 58.17 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for SUI.

Sun Communities Risk Analysis

Sun Communities disclosed 41 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Sun Communities reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Sun Communities Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
CPCPT
73
Outperform
$16.85B109.282.47%3.48%0.56%-73.40%
SUSUI
70
Outperform
$15.84B196.331.44%3.03%-6.88%-45.29%
UDUDR
70
Outperform
$13.91B117.523.40%4.06%2.35%-73.89%
ELELS
68
Neutral
$13.09B34.9622.87%2.98%0.69%5.67%
UMUMH
65
Neutral
$1.44B154.183.45%5.05%8.01%
60
Neutral
$2.82B10.380.33%8508.19%5.98%-17.49%
ESESS
60
Neutral
$19.10B27.4212.09%3.45%7.61%27.83%
* Real Estate Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SUI
Sun Communities
120.94
5.93
5.16%
ELS
Equity Lifestyle
64.09
1.83
2.94%
UMH
Umh
16.46
1.64
11.07%
ESS
Essex Property
277.83
23.78
9.36%
UDR
UDR
40.65
2.64
6.95%
CPT
Camden Property
115.53
13.81
13.58%

Sun Communities Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 05, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: -4.17%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 23, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a mixed sentiment with significant achievements such as the successful Safe Harbor Marinas transaction and strong manufactured housing performance, offset by challenges in the transient RV business and a decrease in UK NOI. Financial flexibility and growth strategies offer a positive outlook, but the impact of macroeconomic uncertainties on certain segments remains a concern.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Successful Safe Harbor Marinas Transaction
The closing of the $5.65 billion Safe Harbor Marinas transaction marks a major milestone in Sun's strategic repositioning, enhancing financial flexibility and supporting long-term growth.
Debt Reduction and Financial Flexibility
Sun Communities executed debt reduction efforts, reducing the net debt-to-EBITDA target to 3.5x to 4.5x and establishing a new capital allocation plan.
Strong Manufactured Housing Performance
Manufactured Housing showed resilience with same-property NOI up 8.9% in Q1, driven by 7.3% revenue growth and a 150 basis point occupancy gain.
One-Time Cash Distribution and Dividend Increase
A one-time cash distribution of $4 per share will be paid, and the quarterly distribution will increase by 10.6% to $1.04 per share starting Q2 2025.
Negative Updates
Decline in Transient RV Business
Transient RV business experienced a 9.1% decline in same-property NOI due to macroeconomic uncertainty and reduced Canadian guests, impacting short-term revenue.
UK Same-Property NOI Decrease
UK same-property NOI decreased by $600,000 primarily due to higher payroll costs from national minimum wage increases and higher real estate taxes.
Lower RV Same-Property NOI Guidance
RV same-property NOI expectations were reduced to a range of down 3.5% to up 0.5% due to slower transient reservation pacing and short booking windows.
Company Guidance
In the first quarter of 2025, Sun Communities reported a strong performance, highlighted by a 5.8% year-over-year increase in core FFO per share to $1.26. The company successfully closed the $5.65 billion sale of Safe Harbor Marinas, which significantly enhanced financial flexibility and allowed for a capital allocation plan that included a new long-term net debt-to-EBITDA target of 3.5x to 4.5x. The MH segment showed resilience with a notable 8.9% increase in same-property NOI, driven by a 7.3% revenue growth and a 150 basis point occupancy gain. The RV segment faced challenges due to a 9.1% decline in same-property NOI, attributed to macroeconomic uncertainty and reduced Canadian guests. Sun Communities plans to deploy approximately $1 billion into 10/31 exchange accounts for tax-efficient acquisitions, aiming for high-quality manufactured housing opportunities. For full year 2025, the company provided core FFO per share guidance in the range of $6.43 to $6.63, reflecting operational assumptions and the impact of the Safe Harbor transaction.

Sun Communities Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Sun Communities Holds Annual Shareholders Meeting
Neutral
May 15, 2025

Sun Communities held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 13, 2025, where shareholders voted on several key proposals. The election of nine directors was confirmed, with each director set to serve until the 2026 Annual Meeting. Additionally, shareholders approved the non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation, ratified the selection of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, and approved an amendment to extend the term of the company’s 2015 Equity Incentive Plan to December 31, 2035.

The most recent analyst rating on (SUI) stock is a Buy with a $147.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sun Communities stock, see the SUI Stock Forecast page.

M&A TransactionsStock BuybackDividendsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sun Communities Sells Safe Harbor Marinas to Blackstone
Positive
May 6, 2025

On April 30, 2025, Sun Communities, Inc. completed the initial closing of the sale of its Safe Harbor Marinas business to an affiliate of Blackstone Infrastructure for approximately $5.25 billion. This transaction aligns with Sun’s strategy to focus on its core MH and RV portfolio, enhancing its financial flexibility and leverage profile. The proceeds will be used to repay debt, fund future acquisitions, and return capital to shareholders through a special cash distribution and a stock repurchase program. The company also announced plans to redeem $950 million of outstanding unsecured senior notes and declared a special one-time cash distribution of $4.00 per share.

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sun Communities Appoints New Chief Accounting Officer
Positive
Mar 18, 2025

On March 17, 2025, Sun Communities, Inc. announced the appointment of Brian Loftus as the Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. Loftus, who has a strong background in financial leadership roles across various industries, will report to the company’s CFO, Fernando Castro-Caratini. This appointment is part of the company’s strategic efforts to strengthen its financial operations. Loftus’s extensive experience, including his previous roles at Unique Fabricating, Inc., Wabash National Corporation, and Horizon Global Corporation, positions him well to contribute to Sun Communities’ continued growth and financial management.

M&A TransactionsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sun Communities Sells Safe Harbor Marinas for $5.65B
Positive
Feb 27, 2025

Sun Communities, Inc. announced the sale of its Safe Harbor Marinas to Blackstone Infrastructure for $5.65 billion, aiming to refocus its business strategy on its core MH and RV operations. The transaction is expected to significantly de-leverage Sun’s balance sheet, enhance financial flexibility, and generate an estimated book gain of approximately $1.3 billion, benefiting shareholders and reinforcing the company’s focus on durable annual income streams.

M&A TransactionsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sun Communities Sells Safe Harbor Marinas for $5.65B
Positive
Feb 24, 2025

On February 24, 2025, Sun Communities announced the sale of its Safe Harbor Marinas business to Blackstone Infrastructure for $5.65 billion. This strategic move allows Sun to refocus on its core MH and RV segments, enhancing its financial flexibility and leverage profile. The transaction is expected to generate approximately $5.5 billion in pre-tax proceeds, which will be used for debt reduction, shareholder distributions, and reinvestment in core businesses. The sale is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary conditions, and is expected to significantly improve Sun’s balance sheet and financial metrics.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.