Core Viewpoint - Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is currently viewed as a battleground stock, with bullish perspectives focusing on rapid growth and low AFFO multiples, while bearish views highlight concerns over high debt and AFFO calculations [1][2]. Bear Thesis - The bear thesis identifies three main reasons for the substantial drop in IRM's stock price over the past year: overvaluation, being caught in the AI selloff, and a short attack [4][7]. - The company has evolved from physical information storage to digital information management, which has led to its classification as a data center REIT, although this segment remains a small part of its business [5][6]. Financial Overview - As of September 30, 2025, IRM's total assets amounted to $20.63 billion, with current assets of $1.88 billion and total liabilities of $18.77 billion [9]. - The company has a significant operating lease liability of $2.28 billion, which is not classified as debt, as it represents long-term rental obligations rather than traditional debt [10][11]. AFFO and Earnings Adjustments - There are concerns regarding the inflation of reported AFFO, but IRM provides transparent reconciliations between GAAP and non-GAAP metrics [14][16]. - The company reported a normalized FFO of $276.89 million for Q3 2025, reflecting an 18.7% year-over-year increase [22]. - True AFFO is estimated to be approximately $320 million lower than reported AFFO, leading to an adjusted AFFO per share of $4.00 for 2025 [27][25]. Growth and Valuation - IRM has demonstrated strong growth across various business segments, with pricing power in its legacy records information management business contributing to its growth [28][31]. - Analysts project continued strong growth through 2028, with total revenue guidance for 2025 set between $6.79 billion and $6.94 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of approximately 12% [26][34]. - The current valuation shows IRM trading at 14X forward AFFO and 16X trailing AFFO, which may be undervalued given its growth rate [38][39]. Market Position - IRM's data center builds are expected to yield high returns, with cash on cash IRRs in the low double digits, supporting the company's growth strategy [31][36]. - The information management business is considered robust, with clients reliant on data retrieval services, providing IRM with continued pricing power [36].

Company Overview - Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is a global leader in information management with a market cap of $25 billion, specializing in secure storage, data protection, and digital transformation services [1] - The company operates a vast network of facilities for storing physical records and has a growing data center business that supports cloud and colocation services [1] Market Position - Iron Mountain is classified as a "large-cap" stock, valued at $10 billion or more, known for its recurring-revenue model and strong client retention [2] - The company combines legacy records management with expanding digital infrastructure capabilities, positioning itself as a hybrid physical-digital information steward for large organizations [2] Stock Performance - Shares of Iron Mountain have decreased nearly 25.9% from its 52-week high of $114.88 and have fallen 12% over the past three months, underperforming the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) which dipped over 3.3% during the same period [3][4] - Year-to-date, Iron Mountain's shares have fallen 19%, and over the past 52 weeks, the stock has declined 25.6%, compared to XLRE's 7.7% drop [4] Recent Developments - On November 19, shares fell more than 2% after short-seller Gotham City Research disclosed a short position and released a bearish thesis, alleging that IRM's valuation is significantly inflated and suggesting a value of $22 to $40 per share [5] - Gotham City Research raised concerns about the sustainability of Iron Mountain's growth strategy, leverage, and cash-flow quality, which has heightened investor caution [5] Competitive Landscape - In comparison, rival SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) has shown less pronounced decline, falling 7.1% year-to-date and decreasing 15.2% over the past 52 weeks [6]

Core Insights - Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is a global leader in information management with a market cap of $30.2 billion, specializing in secure storage and management of physical and digital assets [1] Financial Performance - For FY2025 Q3, IRM reported a revenue increase of 12.6% year-over-year to $1.75 billion, driven by strong demand in storage and services [4] - Storage rental revenue rose by 10% to $1.03 billion, while service revenue increased by 16% to $721 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $660 million, up 16%, with a margin expansion of 110 basis points [5] - The company's AFFO increased by 17% to $1.32 per share, with analysts projecting a 154.8% year-over-year increase to $4.51 per share for the current fiscal year [5][6] Market Performance - IRM shares have declined by 13.9% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 14.1% [2] - Year-to-date, IRM shares are down 3.8%, compared to the S&P 500's 16.4% return [2] - The company has also struggled against the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund's 4.2% decline over the past 52 weeks [3] Analyst Ratings - Among 11 analysts covering IRM, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with eight "Strong Buy" ratings, one "Moderate Buy," one "Hold," and one "Strong Sell" [6] - JPMorgan's Andrew Steinerman raised the price target for IRM to $111 from $100, maintaining an "Overweight" rating [7]