Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Annaly Capital Management, Inc. — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while Annaly Capital Management, Inc. trades at $23.21 (market cap $17.27B). The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. are close in size by market cap, and Annaly Capital Management, Inc. pays the higher dividend (13.09%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | NLY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $17.27B |
Sector | Real Estate | Financials |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $24.40 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $20.21 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 13.09% |
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.
Annaly Capital Management (NLY) trades at $23.04, up 1.68% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong earnings momentum after beating Q2 2026 EPS estimates. The stock shows robust fundamentals with a P/E of 5.57, ROE of 20.66%, and a net income margin of 92.77%. Recent news highlights inclusion in Zacks' Strong Buy lists and a focus on high-yield income, supported by a $0.75 dividend payment scheduled for July 2026.
Outlook is positive with analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (57.15%) and a $24.50 price target, implying ~6% upside. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and mortgage market volatility, but diversified housing finance strategies and consistent dividend coverage provide stability. Investment appeal centers on value valuation and income generation.
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 →Annaly Capital Management Inc is an American mortgage real estate investment trust. The company segments its operations into Residential and Commercial real estate investments. While Annaly's Residential assets are primarily comprised of agency mortgage-backed securities and debentures, it is primarily invested in commercial mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities in its Commercial unit through its subsidiary, Annaly Commercial Real Estate Group. Agency mortgage-backed securities and debentures make up the majority of the company's overall portfolio. Most of the company's counterparties are located in the U.S. Annaly generates nearly all of its revenue from the spread between interest earned on its assets and interest payments made on its borrowings.
Read more on NLY →