Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Johnson Controls International PLC — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.78 (market cap $18.15B), while Johnson Controls International PLC trades at $156.3 (market cap $93.74B). The key difference: Johnson Controls International PLC is far larger — about 5.2× Essex Property Trust, Inc.'s market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.93%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | JCI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.15B | $93.74B |
Sector | Real Estate | Industrials |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $154.76 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $103.52 |
Enterprise Value | $24.75B | $102.58B |
Dividend Yield | 3.93% | 1.03% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ESS trades at $282.11, down 0.39% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages and oscillators. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.97, missing expectations, but raised full-year guidance after strong property NOI growth. Revenue reached $1.89B in 2025 with a net income margin of 35.48%, though profitability is trending lower in 2026. Recent news includes ESS being named a top GreenTech company and signing a 500 MWh energy storage agreement with Juniper Energy.
The outlook is mixed: raised guidance and institutional buying support upside, but technical weakness and earnings miss pose near-term risks. Valuation ratios like P/E of 19.9 and P/S of 9.05 are reasonable for a REIT, yet debt levels and regional market volatility require caution. Analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with a $305.86 price target, suggesting 8.4% potential upside from current levels.
JCI trades at $150.70, down 0.99% on the day, with a strong bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported robust Q3 2026 earnings, beating estimates with $1.42 EPS and raising full-year guidance, driven by double-digit organic sales growth and record backlog. Analyst consensus is strongly positive with a $168.25 price target and no sell ratings. Recent news highlights efficiency leadership and AI-related thermal management innovations.
The outlook remains favorable given earnings momentum and strategic positioning in high-demand sectors like data centers. Key risks include execution on growth targets and macroeconomic sensitivity. The stock presents a growth opportunity supported by fundamental strength and bullish sentiment, though valuation multiples are elevated.
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 →Johnson Controls manufactures, installs, and services HVAC systems, building management systems and controls, industrial refrigeration systems, and fire and security solutions. Commercial HVAC accounts for about 40% of sales, fire and security also represents 40% of sales, and residential HVAC, industrial refrigeration, and other solutions account for the remaining 20% of revenue. In fiscal 2021, Johnson Controls generated over $23.5 billion in revenue.
Read more on JCI →