Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs PulteGroup, Inc. — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while PulteGroup, Inc. trades at $132.77 (market cap $24.77B). The key difference: PulteGroup, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.66%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | PHM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $24.77B |
Sector | Real Estate | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $142.56 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $110.11 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $25.19B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 0.8% |
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.
PulteGroup (PHM) trades at $132.90, up 2.59% today, with a bullish technical signal and support near $131. The stock shows solid fundamentals with a P/E of 13.58 and net income margin of 11.62%, though recent quarters saw mixed earnings results. The company expanded into Northwest Florida and reported a Q2 2026 EPS beat, while cash flow trends remain positive.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $137.20 offering modest upside. Risks include housing market pressure and margin declines, but strong institutional interest and a moderate buy rating suggest resilience. The stock presents a value opportunity amid industry headwinds.
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 →PulteGroup Inc is one of the largest homebuilders in the United States, operating in 40 markets across 23 states. The company mainly builds single-family detached homes (85% of unit sales) and offers products to entry-level, move-up, and active-adult buyers. PulteGroup offers homebuyers mortgage financing and title agency services through its financial services segment. The company is headquartered in Atlanta.
Read more on PHM →