Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Marriott International Inc — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while Marriott International Inc trades at $349.5 (market cap $90.86B). The key difference: Marriott International Inc is far larger — about 5× 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 | MAR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $90.86B |
Sector | Real Estate | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $402.54 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $259.04 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $108.17B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 0.84% |
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.
Marriott International (MAR) trades at $353.91, down 1.6% in the last 24 hours, with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong profitability with a net income margin of 9.62% and ROE of 1,446.77%, but faces high valuation ratios like a P/E of 36.64. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates at $3.19 per share, and the company raised its 2026 outlook, though revenue missed expectations. A quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share was declared, payable on June 30, 2026.
The outlook is mixed: robust fee growth and a record pipeline support upside, but elevated debt and premium valuation pose risks. Analysts are generally positive with a consensus price target of $387.31, though near-term volatility may persist due to macroeconomic headwinds and regional weaknesses in the Middle East.
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 →Marriott International Inc. of Maryland is a worldwide operator and franchisor of hotels. The Company franchises lodging facilities and vacation timesharing resorts under various brand names. Marriott also provides services to home and condominium owner associations for projects associated with several of its brands.
Read more on MAR →