Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs NetApp Inc. — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while NetApp Inc. trades at $199.25 (market cap $39.00B). The key difference: NetApp Inc. is far larger — about 2.1× 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 | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $39.00B |
Sector | Real Estate | Technology |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $198.72 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $94.11 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $38.14B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 1.05% |
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.
NetApp (NTAP) trades at $189.52, down 1.02% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong support at $186. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $2.43, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with an 18.43% net margin. Recent acquisitions of JetStream Software and DataPelago aim to enhance AI infrastructure capabilities, driving positive sentiment amid rising cloud demand.
Outlook remains favorable with consistent earnings beats and strategic AI investments, but risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 29.85) and competitive pressures. Analysts show mixed sentiment with a $170.73 consensus target, suggesting cautious optimism. Institutional holdings reflect confidence, though debt levels have risen to 29.89% of assets, warranting monitoring.
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 →NetApp is a leading provider of enterprise data management and storage solutions. The company's three operating business units are products, software maintenance, and hardware maintenance. NetApp transitioned from a data center storage firm to a company with software data management solutions for multicloud environments. The California-headquartered company sells globally and has approximately 10,000 employees.
Read more on NTAP →