SBA CommunicationsSBAC -2.19%86 ROA % is 6.35% as of Mar. 2026, which is 200% above its 10-year median of 2.12. GuruFocus rates SBAC with a GF Score™ of 86/100 and a GF Value™ of $233.11 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 938 REITs companies, SBA Communications ranks better than 83.58% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. SBA Communications's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $739 Mil.
SBA Communications's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was $11,648 Mil. Therefore, SBA Communications's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 6.35%.
The historical rank and industry rank for SBA Communications's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
SBAC'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.25 Med: 2.12 Max: 9.17
Current: 9.13
During the past 13 years, SBA Communications's highest ROA % was 9.17%. The lowest was 0.25%. And the median was 2.12%.
SBAC's ROA % is ranked better than 83.58% of 938
companies
in the REITs industry
Industry Median: 3.23
vs SBAC: 9.13
SBA Communications (NAS:SBAC) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
SBA Communications ROA % Related Terms
SBA Communications ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for SBA Communications's ROA % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the REIT - Specialty subindustry, SBA Communications's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
SBA Communications ROA % vs REITs Industry
For the REITs industry and Real Estate sector, SBA Communications's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where SBA Communications's ROA % falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
SBA Communications (SBAC) has a ROA % of 6.35% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on SBA Communications and its competitors. This is 200% above median its historical median of 2.12. Over the past decade, SBA Communications' ROA % has ranged from 0.25 to 9.17. According to the industry distribution chart, SBA Communications ranks #154 out of 938 companies in the REITs industry, placing it in the top 16.4%.
Is SBA Communications' ROA % too high?
SBA Communications' current ROA % of 6.35% is 200% above median its 10-year median of 2.12. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.25 to a high of 9.17. The REITs industry median ROA % is 3.23. SBA Communications' value of 6.35% is 96.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, SBA Communications ranks #154 out of 938 companies in the REITs industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, SBA Communications has a GF Score™ of 86/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does SBA Communications' ROA % compare to WY and LAMR?
According to the REITs industry distribution chart, SBA Communications ranks #154 out of 938 companies for ROA %. This places SBA Communications in the top 16% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median ROA % is 3.23. SBA Communications' value of 6.35% is 96.6% above this benchmark. Historically, SBA Communications' own ROA % has ranged from 0.25 to 9.17 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 2.12 vs. the industry median of 3.23, SBA Communications has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for a REITs company?
The median ROA % among REITs companies is 3.23, based on 938 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. SBA Communications's current ROA % of 6.35% is 96.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on SBA Communications and its competitors. For the REITs industry, the median ROA % is 3.23 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. SBA Communications's current ROA % is 6.35%, which is 200% above median its own 10-year median of 2.12. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is SBA Communications stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, SBA Communications (SBAC) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $233.11, compared to a current price of $185.47 — trading 20.4% below its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 6.35%, which is 200% above median its 10-year median of 2.12 and 96.6% above the REITs industry median of 3.23. SBA Communications' overall GF Score™ is 86/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For SBA Communications (SBAC), the current ROA % is 6.35% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is SBA Communications (SBAC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, SBA Communications stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $185.47 is trading 20.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of $233.11.
GuruFocus considers SBA Communications to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for SBAC:
ROA %: 6.35% (200% above median its 10-year median of 2.12)
GF Value™: $233.11 vs. price of $185.47 (20.4% below fair value)
Industry Position: 96.6% above the REITs median (#154 of 938)
No single metric tells the full story. See the SBAC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
SBA Communications owns a portfolio of about 46,000 wireless towers throughout North America, South America, and Africa. It leases space on its towers to wireless service providers, who install equipment to support their wireless networks. The company has a very concentrated customer base, with most revenue in each market generated by the top three or four mobile carriers. It owns more than 17,000 towers in the US, which account for about 70% of leasing revenue. Internationally, SBA's largest markets are Brazil and Guatemala, where it owns roughly 12,000 and 5,000 towers, respectively. SBA operates as a real estate investment trust.
86GF Score
Get the complete analysis for SBAC
ROA % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
SBAC has been successfully added to your 
