Aecom vs Essex Property Trust, Inc. — how do they compare? Aecom trades at $66.76 (market cap $9.42B), while Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B). The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.66%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ACM | ESS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $9.42B | $18.20B |
Sector | Industrials | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $134.35 | $298.33 |
52-Week Low | $66.86 | $239.61 |
Enterprise Value | $11.60B | $24.80B |
Dividend Yield | 1.62% | 3.66% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ACM trades at $75.84, up 1.21% daily, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and ADX indicators. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed expectations with a loss of $0.50 per share, though revenue trends remain stable near $16 billion annually. The company secured new infrastructure projects in Australia and Portugal, supporting a record backlog. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 15.83 and P/S of 0.63, below sector averages, indicating potential undervaluation.
Outlook is mixed: strong analyst consensus (64% buy) and a $99.20 price target suggest 31% upside, but Q2 miss and rising debt-to-asset ratio (22.61% in 2025) pose risks. Investors should weigh robust contract wins against earnings volatility and macroeconomic pressures on infrastructure spending.
ESS trades at $288.1, up 1.05% daily, with a neutral technical signal and support near $284. The stock shows strong profitability with a 21.48% net margin and recent Q2 2026 earnings miss on EPS but beat on FFO, leading to raised full-year guidance. Revenue growth is steady, reaching $1.89B in 2025, though net income declined to $670M from $742M in 2024.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $305.86, implying ~6% upside. Risks include high debt levels (debt-to-asset ratio of 51.92% in 2024) and regional economic exposure. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 40% buy ratings, but institutional interest grew with Amundi increasing its stake in Q1 2026.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Aecom is one of the largest global providers of design, engineering, construction, and management services. The firm serves a broad spectrum of end markets including infrastructure, water, transportation, and energy. Based in Los Angeles, Aecom has a presence in over 150 countries and employs 51,000. The company generated $13.3 billion in sales and $701 million in adjusted operating income in fiscal 2021.
Read more on ACM →Essex Property Trust owns a portfolio of 253 apartment communities with over 62,000 units and is developing three additional properties with 571 units. The company focuses on owning large, high-quality properties on the West Coast in the urban and suburban submarkets of Southern California, Northern California, and Seattle.
Read more on ESS →