Is returning early from a function more elegant than an if statement?

public function set hitZone(target:DisplayObject):void
        {
            if(_hitZone != target)
            {
                _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver);
                _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut);
                _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown);

                _hitZone = target;

                _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver, false, 0, true);
                _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut, false, 0, true);
                _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown, false, 0, true);
            }
        }

public function set hitZone(target:DisplayObject):void
        {
            if(_hitZone == target)return;

            _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver);
            _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut);
            _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown);

            _hitZone = target;

            _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver, false, 0, true);
            _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut, false, 0, true);
            _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown, false, 0, true);

        }

public function setHitZone(target:DisplayObject):void
    {
        if(_hitZone != target)
            setHitZoneUnconditionally(target);

    }

public function setHitZoneUnconditionally(target:DisplayObject):void
    {
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver);
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut);
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown);

        _hitZone = target;

        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver, false, 0, true);
        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut, false, 0, true);
        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown, false, 0, true);

    }

public function setHitZone(target:DisplayObject):void
    {
        if(_hitZone != target)
            setHitZoneUnconditionally(target);

    }

public function setHitZoneUnconditionally(target:DisplayObject):void
    {
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver);
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut);
        _hitZone.removeEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown);

        _hitZone = target;

        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OVER, onBtOver, false, 0, true);
        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.ROLL_OUT, onBtOut, false, 0, true);
        _hitZone.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onBtDown, false, 0, true);

    }