Compare Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) vs Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF (VNQ) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $297.12 (market cap $18.82B), while Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF trades at $99.65. The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays a 3.54% dividend while Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF pays none, and Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Essex Property Trust, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | VNQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.82B | — |
Sector | Real Estate | — |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $98.66 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $87.00 |
Enterprise Value | $25.54B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.54% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ESS trades at $297.29, down slightly by 0.28% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 results expected soon. Fundamentals show robust profitability with a 30.03% net income margin and $669.67M net income for 2025, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 32.93 appear elevated. Recent news highlights sustainability initiatives and inclusion in the Russell Microcap Index.
The outlook for ESS is cautiously optimistic, supported by high West Coast rental demand and AI-driven employment growth. Risks include elevated debt levels and Seattle market weakness. Analysts are mixed with a $294.25 consensus price target, slightly below the current price, suggesting limited near-term upside amid solid operational performance.
VNQ (Vanguard Real Estate ETF) trades at $99.59, up 2.07% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The ETF has delivered a 12% year-to-date total return through mid-July 2026, though the rally has recently stalled amid shifting interest rate expectations. Key support sits at $96, with resistance at $100. Recent news highlights its low expense ratio and liquidity advantages over peers, while dividend safety remains a focus in the current rate environment.
Outlook: VNQ offers diversified real estate exposure with income potential, but faces headwinds from persistent inflation and Treasury yield volatility. The fund's performance is closely tied to interest rate trends, with data-center REITs within the portfolio showing strong AI-driven gains. Risks include sensitivity to Fed policy and economic cycles, but current valuations may present opportunity if rate pressures ease.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Essex Property Trust, Inc.
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 →About Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF
The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small US companies within the real estate sector. The Advisor attempts to replicate the target index by seeking to invest all of its assets in the stocks that make up the index, in order to hold each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index. It is non-diversified.
Read more on VNQ →
