Compare American Electric Power Company Inc (AEP) vs Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
American Electric Power Company Inc vs Essex Property Trust, Inc. — how do they compare? American Electric Power Company Inc trades at $123.61 (market cap $66.87B), while Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B). The key difference: American Electric Power Company Inc is far larger — about 3.7× Essex Property Trust, Inc.'s market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.66%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AEP | ESS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $66.87B | $18.20B |
Sector | Utilities | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $138.69 | $298.33 |
52-Week Low | $106.44 | $239.61 |
Enterprise Value | $119.77B | $24.80B |
Dividend Yield | 3.09% | 3.66% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Electric Power (AEP) trades at $125.73, up 0.38% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. Recent Q2 2026 earnings missed estimates at $1.36 per share versus $1.48 expected, though the company raised full-year 2026 operating EPS guidance to $6.25–$6.55, reflecting confidence in AI-driven power demand growth. Fundamentals show robust revenue growth to $21.88B in 2025 and a net income margin of 13.78%, supported by a $78 billion capital plan.
The outlook remains positive due to contracted load growth and infrastructure investments, but risks include execution of large capital expenditures and interest rate sensitivity. With a consensus price target of $140.89 and no sell ratings, Wall Street sentiment is bullish, though technical indicators suggest near-term caution amid bearish moving averages.
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.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About American Electric Power Company Inc
American Electric Power is one of the largest regulated utilities in the United States, providing electricity generation, transmission, and distribution to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. About 43% of AEP's of capacity is coal, with the remainder from a mix of natural gas (27%), renewable energy and hydro (19%), nuclear (7%), and demand response (4%). Vertically integrated utilities, transmission and distribution, and generation and marketing support earnings.
Read more on AEP →About Essex Property Trust, Inc.
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 →
