Essex Property Trust, Inc. vs YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs — how do they compare? Essex Property Trust, Inc. trades at $282.11 (market cap $18.20B), while YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs trades at $7.65. The key difference: Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays a 3.66% dividend while YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs pays none, and Essex Property Trust, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, YieldMax Universe Fund of Option Income ETFs nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ESS | YMAX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $18.20B | — |
Sector | Real Estate | Income / Options Overlay |
52-Week High | $298.33 | $13.26 |
52-Week Low | $239.61 | $7.27 |
Enterprise Value | $24.80B | — |
Dividend Yield | 3.66% | — |
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.
YMAX trades at $7.70, up 1.58% today, with a neutral technical signal and bearish moving averages. Recent news highlights weekly dividend distributions, though a 24/7 Wall Street article on July 14, 2026, notes shrinking payouts and a 1.33% fee structure. The stock lacks disclosed financial ratios, limiting fundamental clarity.
The outlook is mixed, with income appeal from dividends offset by fee concerns and opaque fundamentals. Risks include cost inefficiencies and reliance on market volatility for returns, while technicals suggest near-term consolidation around $8 support/resistance levels.
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 →YMAX is an actively managed 'fund of funds' that provides equal-weighted exposure to the full suite of YieldMax option income ETFs. It is designed to generate high current income by aggregating the premiums from various single-stock and thematic covered call strategies, offering a diversified approach to high-yield option investing.
Read more on YMAX →