Extra Space Storage Shares Rise on Q4 Core FFO Beat, Strong Full-Year Growth

Shares of Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE: EXR) rose 1.37% to $148.19 in Friday morning trading after the self-storage real estate investment trust reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst estimates for core funds from operations (Core FFO).

The stock’s intraday move comes as it trades near its 52-week high of $162.77, recovering significantly from a 52-week low of $121.03. Over the past three months, the shares have gained approximately 13.7% as investors reacted positively to the company’s capital allocation and acquisition strategy.

Quarterly and Full-Year Financial Results

For the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025, Extra Space Storage reported Core FFO of $2.08 per diluted share, a 2.5% increase from $2.03 per share in the prior-year period. Net income attributable to common stockholders reached $1.36 per diluted share, up 9.7% from $1.24 in Q4 2024.

Total quarterly revenue was $857.5 million, surpassing the consensus estimate of $851.0 million. This performance was supported by a 0.4% increase in same-store revenue. Same-store net operating income (NOI) grew slightly by 0.1%, as a 1.1% rise in operating expenses partially offset revenue gains.

For the full year 2025, the company reported:

Core FFO: $8.21 per diluted share, a 1.1% increase year-over-year.
Net Income: $4.59 per diluted share, representing 13.9% annual growth.
Same-Store Revenue: Increased 0.1% for the full year.
Same-Store NOI: Declined 1.7% due to a 4.9% increase in operating expenses.

Portfolio and Acquisition Developments

Extra Space remained active in external growth, closing $483.6 million in operating-store acquisitions (41 stores) during 2025. This included $304.8 million for 27 stores in the fourth quarter alone. The company also completed a $342.2 million buyout of joint venture interests in 28 properties.

The company’s third-party management platform added 281 net stores during the year, bringing the total managed portfolio to 2,263 stores as of year-end.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Strengths: Robust bridge loan originations totaling $409.4 million and strong management fee growth. The company also repurchased $149.5 million of common stock at an average price of $129.10 per share.
Weaknesses: Same-store occupancy fell to 92.6% as of Dec. 31, compared to 93.3% a year earlier. Operating expense pressure, specifically a 7.6% rise in property taxes and a 6.7% increase in insurance costs for the full year, weighed on NOI margins.

2026 Guidance and Market Context

The company provided an initial 2026 outlook, projecting Core FFO between $8.05 and $8.35 per share. The guidance assumes same-store revenue growth ranging from -0.5% to +1.5% and same-store expense growth of 2.0% to 3.5%.

No analyst upgrades or downgrades were reported following the release. The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), reflecting recent unfavorable estimate revisions prior to the earnings beat.

The stability of self-storage REITs stands in contrast to the volatility in the SaaS and software sectors. Software stocks have faced pressure from high interest rates and a “higher-for-longer” Fed narrative, which has squeezed valuation multiples for non-profitable tech. In contrast, EXR’s results highlight the resilience of cash-flow-heavy real estate assets, though the sector faces its own macro headwinds from a cooling housing market and rising “uncontrollable” property costs.