Compare Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) vs Waste Management, Inc. (WM) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs Waste Management, Inc. — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while Waste Management, Inc. trades at $226 (market cap $90.58B). The key difference: Waste Management, Inc. 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 | WM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | $90.58B |
Sector | Real Estate | Industrials |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $246.51 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $196.77 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | $113.37B |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | 1.56% |
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 $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.
WM trades at $227.68, down 0.58% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and oversold RSI levels. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $2.02, beating estimates, with revenue growth to $25.2 billion in 2025. Valuation ratios are elevated, with a P/E of 59.96 and P/S of 16.1, reflecting premium pricing. Recent news highlights margin gains and institutional activity, including Bank of America reducing holdings by 6.1% in Q1 2026 (Defense World, 2026-08-01).
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $263.43, implying 15.7% upside, driven by pricing discipline and technology investments. Risks include high debt levels, with a debt-to-asset ratio of 53.62% in 2024, and softer volume trends. Earnings momentum from recent beats supports growth, but margin pressures and economic sensitivity could limit gains.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management ranks as the largest integrated provider of traditional solid waste services in the United States, operating approximately 260 active landfills and about 340 transfer stations. The company serves residential, commercial, and industrial end markets and is also a leading recycler in North America.
Read more on WM →
