Essex Property Trust

ESS

Market cap $16.3B

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) announced today that it plans to release its fourth quarter 2025 earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. A conference call with senior management is scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The fourth quarter conference call is open to everyone and can be accessed by: Internet: Go to www.essex.com; click on Investors and the fourth quarter earn.

Seven S&P 500 high-yield 'safer' dividend stocks—like Ford, AT&T, and VICI—offer strong payouts supported by free cash flow and attractive valuations. Analyst projections indicate 22.78% to 36.88% net gains for the top ten S&P 500 dividend dogs by January 2027, with average risk 16% below the market. Nine of the top ten S&P 500 dividend dogs already meet the ideal of annual dividends from $1K invested exceeding their share price, signaling fair or undervalued entry points.

Essex Property Trust trades at a forward P/FFO well below its historical average, offering compelling value in supply-constrained West Coast markets. ESS benefits from limited new multifamily supply, driving solid rent growth, especially in Northern California submarkets with 5–6% lease spreads. ESS maintains a BBB+ balance sheet, 3.9% dividend yield, 64% payout ratio, and 30 years of consecutive dividend growth.

The ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat ETF (NOBL) underperformed SPY in 2025, gaining 7.2% versus SPY's 18.42%. Despite average underperformance, select Aristocrats like CAH (+74.18%), ALB (+66.90%), and CHRW (+61.22%) delivered strong double-digit returns. Dividend growth for the Aristocrats slowed to 5.52% in 2025, down from 5.78% in 2024, with 68 of 69 raising payouts.

U.S. rents and occupancy slip in November 2025. However, easing supply and solid demand could support residential REITs like ESS, UDR & CPT by 2026.

REITs remain attractively valued, with many trading at near 10-year high dividend yields. AFFO yield plus AFFO growth is utilized as a scoring system in this article. ARE leads in value but faces risks from declining occupancy and potential AFFO contraction. Others in the top 5 include VICI, IRM, EQIX and PSA.

U.S. equity markets climbed to the cusp of fresh record-highs as another soft slate of employment data and modest PCE inflation data helped solidify the case for another rate cut. ADP provided the most evident signs of cooling labor markets, posting job losses in three of the past six months and a cooldown in wage growth to four-year lows. The PCE report showed corresponding disinflation in discretionary services categories, offsetting modest upward pressures on goods prices, resulting in the first monthly deceleration in core inflation since April.

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $2.57 per common share, payable January 15, 2026 to shareholders of record as of January 2, 2026. About Essex Property Trust, Inc. Essex Property Trust, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily residential properties in s.

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) (“Essex”) announced today that its operating partnership, Essex Portfolio, L.P. (the “Issuer”), priced an underwritten public offering of $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.875% senior notes due 2036 (the “Notes”). The Notes were priced at 99.093% of par value with a yield to maturity of 4.988%. Interest is payable semiannually at an interest rate per annum of 4.875% on February 15 and August 15 of each year w.

ESS leverages strong West Coast demand, tech-driven efficiencies and a solid balance sheet, but rising supply and debt pressures temper its momentum.