Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $323.97 (market cap $90.68B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation 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 | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $90.68B |
Sector | Real Estate | Energy |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $323.92 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $133.38 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $94.16B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 1.52% |
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.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $298.31, down 1.54% on the day, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong profitability with a 29.31% ROE and trades at a P/E of 12.44, below industry averages. Recent news highlights geopolitical tensions supporting refining margins, while Q2 2026 earnings surged on strong refining and renewable diesel performance.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $324.27, implying 8.7% upside, but risks include volatile oil prices and declining revenue trends. Analyst sentiment is bullish with 55.55% buy ratings, though technical indicators suggest near-term caution amid bearish momentum signals.
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 →Valero Energy is one of the largest independent refiners in the United States. It operates 14 refineries with a total throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Valero also owns 14 ethanol plants with capacity of 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol a year and holds a 50% stake in Diamond Green Diesel, which has capacity to produce 700 million gallons per year of renewable diesel.
Read more on VLO →