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AXR vs. FPH: Which Land Development Stock Is the Better Buy Now?

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Real estate companies continue to operate in an environment shaped by interest rates, housing affordability trends and evolving development activity. Within this backdrop, AMREP Corporation (AXR - Free Report) and Five Point Holdings, LLC (FPH - Free Report) represent two real estate-focused companies with distinct business models. AXR operates primarily as a land development and homebuilding company, focusing on the sale of developed and undeveloped land, residential lot development and home construction in New Mexico, particularly within the Rio Rancho market.

On the other hand, FPH is a developer of large-scale mixed-use planned communities in California. Its operations span master-planned developments across Los Angeles County, Orange County and San Francisco, where it generates revenues from residential and commercial land sales, development management services and a residential asset management platform serving the U.S. homebuilding industry.

While both companies are involved in land development, AMREP’s localized land development and homebuilding strategy differ from Five Point’s large-scale community development platform and asset management business. These differences in geographic footprint, scale and revenue drivers result in distinct growth opportunities and exposure to market conditions, raising the question: which company is better positioned to navigate the evolving real estate landscape? Let’s take a closer look.

Stock Performance & Valuation: AXR vs. FPH

AXR (up 3.6%) has outperformed FPH (0.0%) over the past three months. In the past year, AMREP has rallied 19.2% against Five Point’s decline of 6.4%.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meanwhile, AXR is trading at a trailing 12-month enterprise value-to-sales (EV/S) ratio of 1.6X, above its median of 1.5X over the past five years. FPH’s trailing 12-month EV/S multiple sits at 3.9X, above its last five-year median of 2.3X. AXR and FPH both appear to be expensive when compared with the Zacks Finance sector’s average of 1.3X.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Factors Driving AMREP Stock

AMREP’s extensive land holdings in and around Rio Rancho remain a key value driver. The company owns approximately 16,600 acres in Sandoval County, including a large inventory of undeveloped land that can support future residential, commercial and industrial projects. Its ability to perform entitlement work, install infrastructure and monetize land through sales to national, regional and local homebuilders provides a long runway for development and value creation.

AXR is demonstrating improved monetization of its land and housing assets, which is translating into stronger financial performance. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, the company delivered substantial growth in both revenues and earnings, reflecting the timing of land and home sales and highlighting the earnings potential embedded within its development portfolio. While management notes that results can fluctuate based on transaction timing and property mix, the recent performance underscores AMREP’s ability to convert its land holdings into profitable growth.

AMREP’s homebuilding business provides an additional avenue for value creation beyond land sales. By participating in both land development and home construction, the company captures revenues across multiple stages of the residential development process rather than relying solely on lot sales. This integrated operating model broadens its revenue base, enhances flexibility in responding to changes in housing demand and allows AXR to maximize the value of its land inventory over time.

Factors Driving Five Point Stock

Five Point’s core strength lies in its portfolio of large-scale, master-planned communities located in some of California’s most supply-constrained housing markets. The company controls developments across Los Angeles, Orange County and San Francisco that collectively support tens of thousands of homes and significant commercial space. These long-duration projects provide substantial embedded value and multiple opportunities to monetize land through phased development and sales over many years.

Five Point’s strong balance sheet provides significant flexibility to navigate market cycles and maximize the value of its development portfolio. The company ended first-quarter 2026 with substantial liquidity, modest leverage and additional borrowing capacity, enabling it to fund development activities while maintaining financial discipline. Management has also authorized a share repurchase program, reflecting confidence in FPH’s long-term prospects and providing another avenue for shareholder value creation. Importantly, the company’s financial position allows it to be selective on the timing and structure of land sales rather than being forced to monetize assets during less favorable market conditions.

A growing asset management platform provides an additional avenue for growth beyond traditional land development. Through the Hearthstone business acquired in 2025, Five Point manages residential land banking programs that provide capital solutions to homebuilders across multiple U.S. markets. This business generates management fee income, expands FPH’s presence beyond California and creates a more diversified operating model with exposure to broader housing-market activity.

Choose AXR Over FPH Now

While both AMREP and Five Point are positioned to benefit from long-term demand for residential development, their investment profiles differ meaningfully. AXR offers a relatively straightforward story centered on monetizing a sizable land inventory and expanding its homebuilding operations within a focused geographic market. Its integrated model, which combines land development and home construction, provides clear visibility into the drivers of future growth and value creation.

Five Point, in contrast, is built around large-scale master-planned communities and a growing asset management platform. These businesses provide significant long-term opportunities, but the realization of value depends on the timing of land transactions, continued development progress and execution across multiple business lines. While FPH possesses a strong asset base and financial flexibility, its growth trajectory is inherently tied to a broader set of moving parts.

From a valuation perspective, investors appear to be placing greater expectations on Five Point’s ability to unlock value from its development portfolio and asset management business. AXR, meanwhile, reflects a more measured market outlook despite its improving operating momentum and substantial land holdings. Such a setup may provide investors with a more attractive balance between potential upside and execution risk.

Given this backdrop, AMREP appears to be the better buy now, offering a clearer path to value creation and a more favorable risk-reward profile for investors seeking exposure to the land development sector.

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