Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Macy's Inc — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while Macy's Inc trades at $24.57 (market cap $6.68B). The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. is far larger — about 2.7× Macy's 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 | M | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $6.68B |
Sector | Real Estate | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $26.21 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $12.11 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $10.50B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 3.02% |
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.
Macy's (M) trades at $25.40, up 1.07% daily, with a bullish technical signal and positive earnings momentum after beating estimates in three consecutive quarters. The stock shows attractive valuation with a P/E of 10.5 and P/S of 0.31, while recent news highlights institutional buying and turnaround progress under the 'Bold New Chapter' strategy.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with potential upside to the $30 analyst high target, supported by cost discipline and store revamps. Risks include competitive retail pressures and consumer spending volatility, but solid cash flow and low debt provide stability. The stock offers value with a 2.94% net margin and 14.36% ROE.
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 →Founded in 1858 and based in New York City, Macy's operates 570 stores under the Macy's nameplate, 58 stores under the Bloomingdale's nameplate, and 160 freestanding Bluemercury specialty beauty stores (as of the end of fiscal-year 2021). Macy's also operates e-commerce sites and licenses two Bloomingdale's stores in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Women's apparel, accessories, shoes, cosmetics, and fragrances comprised 59% of Macy's 2021 sales.
Read more on M →