Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $298.43 (market cap $18.82B), while Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF trades at $372.35. The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays a 3.54% dividend while Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | VTI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.82B | — |
Sector | Real Estate | — |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $374.36 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $305.74 |
Enterprise Value | $25.54B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.54% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Essex Property Trust (ESS) trades at $293.32, down 1.61% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The stock shows strong profitability with a 30.03% net income margin and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news highlights include the upcoming Q2 2026 earnings release and inclusion in the Russell Microcap Index, reflecting positive momentum.
The outlook for ESS is cautiously optimistic, driven by robust West Coast rental demand and AI-driven employment growth. Risks include elevated debt levels and Seattle market weakness. Analysts maintain a mixed consensus with a $294.25 price target, suggesting limited near-term upside from current levels amid balanced sentiment.
VTI trades at $370.94, down slightly by 0.06% today, with a bullish technical signal driven by moving averages. The ETF offers broad exposure to the U.S. stock market with over 3,400 holdings and an ultra-low expense ratio of 0.03%. Recent news highlights its appeal for long-term investors, citing historical returns near 10% annually. A dividend of $1.04 is scheduled for June 30, 2026.
The outlook remains positive due to diversification benefits and cost efficiency, though risks include market-wide volatility and economic downturns. Analysts favor VTI for its simplicity and track record, making it a core holding for equity exposure. Near-term price action hinges on support at $368 and resistance at $373.
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 →The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the index, which represents approximately 100% of the investable US stock market and includes large-, mid-, small-, and micro-cap stocks. It invests by sampling the index, meaning that it holds a broadly diversified collection of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full index in terms of key characteristics.
Read more on VTI →