Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Kohl's Corporation — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.78 (market cap $18.15B), while Kohl's Corporation trades at $18.95 (market cap $2.10B). The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. is far larger — about 8.6× Kohl's Corporation's market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.93%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | KSS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.15B | $2.10B |
Sector | Real Estate | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $24.71 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $11.72 |
Enterprise Value | $24.75B | $8.20B |
Dividend Yield | 3.93% | 2.7% |
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.
Kohl's stock trades at $19.04, down 1.35% with a bullish technical signal despite recent weakness. The company shows improving fundamentals with three consecutive earnings beats and positive cash flow projections for 2026. Valuation metrics appear attractive with P/E of 7.77 and P/B of 0.52, while recent management changes and proprietary brand growth provide operational momentum.
Kohl's presents a turnaround opportunity with undervalued metrics and improving operational execution, though declining revenue and thin margins pose significant challenges. Analyst consensus remains cautious with a $16.75 price target below current levels, reflecting concerns about sustained growth in a competitive retail environment.
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 →Kohl's operates 1,165 department stores in 49 states that sell moderately priced private-label and national brand clothing, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, and home furnishings. Most of these stores are in strip centers. Kohl's also operates a large digital sales business. Women's apparel is Kohl's largest category, having generated 27% of its 2021 sales. The retailer, headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, opened its first department store in 1962.
Read more on KSS →