Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs HCA Health Inc — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while HCA Health Inc trades at $411.81 (market cap $89.64B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 4.9× 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.
| ESS | HCA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $89.64B |
Sector | Real Estate | Health |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $545.13 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $361.32 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $140.18B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 0.75% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
HCA Healthcare trades at $413.36, up 1.09% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $449.93. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $7.59 per share, beating estimates, and has shown consistent revenue growth, reaching $75.60 billion in 2025. Recent corporate actions include dividend payments of $0.78 per share, while news highlights executive appointments and ongoing legal investigations.
The stock presents a compelling investment case with attractive valuation multiples like a P/E of 13.86 and robust profitability, but faces risks from legal probes and high debt levels. Upside potential is supported by analyst optimism and solid operational cash flow, though investors should monitor expense pressures and regulatory developments.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →