Essex Property Trust stock holds near a record range after Q2 beat
Published on 08/31/2026 at 16:57 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Essex Property Trust stock (US29717P1049) traded at $284.49 on August 31, 2026, with a market value of $18.28 billion after a second-quarter report that showed $4.08 in EPS and $489.05 million in revenue on July 29, 2026.
The same report also topped the Street by $2.62 per share, while revenue came in $3.93 million above consensus. That gap matters because analysts still put the average target at $304.79, which leaves the shares below the current consensus level.
Q2 numbers still set the tone
MarketBeat's August 31, 2026 recap said Essex Property Trust, Inc. reported a net margin of 21.48% and return on equity of 7.33% for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. It also said the company guided third-quarter 2026 EPS to 3.930-4.050 and full-year 2026 EPS to 16.030-16.250.
Those figures frame the stock's setup better than the day-to-day quote alone. On the same source, the 50-day moving average stood at $289.82 and the 200-day average at $271.01, so the shares were trading between short-term and longer-term trend lines.
Valuation stays elevated
Essex Property Trust stock also carried a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.24 and a PEG ratio of 10.39 on August 31, 2026. The 52-week range ran from $238.46 to $303.35, putting the current price within reach of the top of that band.
The same recap pointed to an average analyst rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $304.79. One report on August 31, 2026 also said the stock opened at $284.49 and that institutional investors owned 96.51% of the shares.
Apartment portfolio
Essex Property Trust, Inc. is a West Coast multifamily REIT focused on market-rate apartment communities, leasing, resident services and capital improvements. That mix keeps the story tied to rent growth, occupancy, and the pace of property-level upgrades rather than to one-off development wins.
For investors, the key comparison remains the gap between the August 31, 2026 quote of $284.49 and the August 31, 2026 average target of $304.79, alongside Q2 EPS of $4.08 and revenue of $489.05 million. The stock remains below the 52-week high of $303.35, but the July 29, 2026 results show why the rerating case is still alive.
Fact box
Company: Essex Property Trust, Inc.
ISIN: US29717P1049
Ticker: ESS
Exchange: NYSE
Sector / Industry: Real Estate / Residential REITs
Index membership: S&P 500
Price (as of August 31, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET): $284.49 USD
Market cap: $18.28 billion (as of August 31, 2026)
Next earnings date: November 4, 2026
More on Essex Property Trust stock
Essex Property Trust operates a portfolio of apartment communities in California and the Pacific Northwest, with income driven by leasing, resident services and capital improvements.
