Uniti Group and City Office REIT Compared as Investment Options

Analysts weigh in on the pros and cons of these two small-cap finance companies

Jan. 28, 2026 at 4:31am

Uniti Group (NASDAQ:UNIT) and City Office REIT (NYSE:CIO) are both small-cap finance companies, but which one is the better investment? This article compares the two companies based on factors like analyst recommendations, profitability, risk, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation, and earnings.

Why it matters

Investors looking to diversify their portfolios with small-cap finance companies will want to understand the key differences between Uniti Group and City Office REIT in order to make an informed decision about which stock may be the better fit for their investment strategy and risk tolerance.

The details

The analysis finds that Uniti Group has higher revenue and earnings than City Office REIT, but City Office REIT is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio, indicating it may be the more affordable of the two stocks. Uniti Group also has stronger institutional ownership at 87.5% compared to 67.5% for City Office REIT. However, City Office REIT has a higher beta of 1.59 compared to Uniti Group's 1.45, meaning its share price is more volatile. Overall, the article concludes that Uniti Group beats City Office REIT on 12 out of 15 factors compared.

  • The article was published on January 28, 2026.

The players

Uniti Group

A real estate investment trust company that acquires, constructs, and leases properties, operating through three segments: Uniti Leasing, Uniti Fiber, and Corporate.

City Office REIT

An internally-managed real estate company focused on acquiring, owning and operating high-quality office properties located predominantly in Sun Belt markets.

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The takeaway

For investors seeking exposure to small-cap finance companies, the analysis suggests that Uniti Group may be the stronger investment option compared to City Office REIT based on factors like higher revenue, earnings, and institutional ownership, as well as a lower valuation. However, City Office REIT's lower price-to-earnings ratio could make it an attractive alternative for more risk-tolerant investors.