Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs VICI Properties Inc — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while VICI Properties Inc trades at $26.01 (market cap $28.71B). The key difference: VICI Properties Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and VICI Properties Inc pays the higher dividend (6.9%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | VICI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $28.71B |
Sector | Real Estate | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $33.78 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $25.94 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $46.26B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 6.9% |
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.
VICI Properties trades at $26.74, up 0.66% today, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals including a 67.5% net income margin and a P/E of 10.1. Recent Q2 2026 earnings showed an EPS miss but revenue beat, while the company raised its full-year AFFO guidance. A $1.75 billion note offering in August 2026 supports capital deployment.
The outlook remains positive with a 76.9% analyst buy rating and a $29.83 consensus price target, offering potential upside. Risks include earnings volatility and high debt, but the near 7% dividend yield and stable cash flows provide investor appeal in the REIT sector.
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 →VICI Properties is an S&P 500 experiential real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns one of the largest portfolios of market-leading gaming, hospitality, and entertainment destinations, including Caesars Palace and MGM Grand. It utilizes a long-term, triple-net lease model to provide stable, inflation-protected income, serving as the primary landlord for the 'experience economy' while diversifying into non-gaming sectors like wellness, youth sports, and luxury resorts.
Read more on VICI →