SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) announced today the income tax treatment for its 2025 distributions to shareholders. The 2025 distribution characteristics are as follows: Common Stock – CUSIP Number 297178105: Record Payment Cash Distribution Ordinary Taxable Qualified Return of Capital Gain Unrecaptured Section 1250 Capital Gain Section 199A Section 897 Date Date Per Share Dividend Dividend Capital (20% rate) (25% rate) Dividend Gain 1/2/2025 1/15/2025. ...

Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) is one of the Best Depressed Stocks to Buy Right Now. On January 13, Barclays lifted the firm’s price objective on the company’s stock to $292 from $290, while keeping an “Equal Weight” rating, as reported by The Fly. Notably, the firm adjusted its ratings and targets in the broader real estate investment trust group. This was part of its 2026 outlook. The firm expects most upside in apartments, storage, and single-family rentals in 2026. It is least positive on cold s ...

Core Insights - Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) has a market capitalization of $16.5 billion and focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing multifamily apartment communities primarily in high-demand West Coast markets [1] - The company operates over 250 communities with more than 60,000 units and is self-administered and self-managed, which aids in operational alignment and cost control [1] Financial Performance - Analysts project Essex Property to report core FFO of $4 per share for fiscal Q4 2025, reflecting a 2% increase from $3.92 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For fiscal 2025, core FFO is expected to be $15.97 per share, a 2.4% rise from $15.60 per share in fiscal 2024, with further growth anticipated to $16.28 per share in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, shares of Essex Property have decreased by 11%, underperforming the S&P 500 Index, which gained 13.5%, and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund, which dropped by 1% [4] Debt and Financing - On December 3, Essex Portfolio, L.P. priced a $350 million offering of 4.875% senior unsecured notes due 2036, aimed at refinancing near-term debt maturities and supporting general corporate purposes [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus rating for ESS stock is "Hold," with 27 analysts covering the stock: five recommend "Strong Buy," two "Moderate Buy," 18 "Hold," and two "Strong Sell" [6] - The average analyst price target for Essex Property is $282.57, suggesting a potential upside of 11.7% from current levels [6]

Core Viewpoint - Real estate has been out of favor compared to tech stocks and commodities, but quality investments in this sector should not be overlooked [2]. Group 1: Investment Focus - iREIT+HOYA Capital specializes in income-producing asset classes, aiming for sustainable portfolio income, diversification, and inflation hedging [1][2]. - The investment group provides research on various financial instruments including REITs, ETFs, closed-end funds, preferred stocks, and dividend champions, targeting dividend yields up to 10% [2]. Group 2: Market Context - The current market has favored high-flying tech stocks in the AI sector and commodities like gold, silver, and copper, leading to a decline in interest in real estate [2].

Core Insights - U.S. apartment demand has decelerated in Q3 2025, with occupancy falling and rent cuts persisting across the market [1][4] - Despite the current challenges, there is optimism for residential REITs like Essex Property Trust, UDR, and Camden Property Trust in 2026 due to favorable demographic trends and easing supply pressures [2][10] Apartment Market Overview - U.S. apartment occupancy decreased by 10 basis points year-over-year to 94.8% in November 2025, marking the first annual decline since August 2024 [4] - Effective asking rents dropped 0.4% in November and 0.7% annually, with the average effective rent at $1,852 [4] - Rent growth is softening as owners adopt defensive leasing strategies, focusing on maintaining occupancy rather than increasing rents [3] Regional Performance - Rent cuts have varied by region, with the most significant declines in Southern and Western markets, while tech-focused coastal cities like San Francisco and New York have seen slight rent increases [6][7] - Cities like Tampa, Nashville, and Las Vegas are also experiencing softening, while St. Louis has emerged as a top-performing city [6][7] Economic Conditions - Macroeconomic conditions are mixed, with positive but slowing employment growth; job growth is expected to remain soft in 2026, but the unemployment rate is low enough to support wage increases [8] - Despite concerns about tariffs, inflation is largely under control, which may benefit the multifamily housing sector [8] Outlook for REITs - The long-term outlook for multifamily housing remains healthy, supported by rising household formation and limited homeownership affordability [9] - Essex Property Trust (ESS) expects 2026 revenues of $1.96 billion, a 3.7% year-over-year increase, with a core FFO per share of $16.28, indicating 1.9% growth [14] - UDR anticipates 2026 revenues of $1.75 billion, reflecting a 2.9% year-over-year rise, with a core FFO per share of $2.56, implying a 1.1% increase [17] - Camden Property Trust (CPT) projects 2026 revenues of $1.61 billion, a 2.2% year-over-year rise, with a core FFO per share of $6.94, indicating a 1.4% increase [20]

Core Insights - Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) is recognized as a strong investment option among Blue Chip Dividend Stocks for passive income generation [1] - Mizuho has increased its price target for Essex Property Trust to $284 from $275, maintaining an Outperform rating based on solid fundamentals and revised REIT models following Q3 earnings [2] - The company has a history of increasing dividends, having nearly doubled its payout over the past decade, with a 4.9% increase in 2025 that outpaces inflation [3] Company Performance - Essex Property Trust focuses on high-demand West Coast markets, where rent growth is above average, contributing to its strong performance [4] - The company maintains a conservative payout ratio and a robust balance sheet, allowing for sustained dividend payments and portfolio expansion [4] - Essex has a track record of growing dividends for 31 consecutive years, highlighting its commitment to returning value to shareholders [4] Business Model - As a residential-focused REIT, Essex Property Trust develops, owns, and manages apartment communities primarily on the West Coast [5]

Core Viewpoint - Essex Property Trust, Inc. has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $2.57 per common share, payable on January 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of January 2, 2026 [1]. Group 1: Company Overview - Essex Property Trust, Inc. is an S&P 500 company and a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) [2]. - The company focuses on acquiring, developing, redeveloping, and managing multifamily residential properties in selected West Coast markets [2]. - Essex currently owns interests in 257 apartment communities, comprising over 62,000 apartment homes, with an additional property in active development [2].

Core Insights - Essex Property Trust, Inc. is a leading real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on high-quality multifamily communities along the U.S. West Coast, with a market capitalization of $16.8 billion [1] - The company's stock has underperformed, declining 14.2% over the past 52 weeks and 8.5% year-to-date, lagging behind the S&P 500 Index which gained 11% and 12.3% in the same periods [2] - Essex's performance is also weaker compared to its sector, as the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) fell 6.5% over the past 52 weeks but performed better in 2025 [3] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Essex reported a net income per share increase of 39% to $2.56, while core FFO rose about 1.5% to $3.97, with same-property revenue and NOI improving by 2.7% and 2.4%, respectively, and occupancy remaining strong at 96% [4] - The company raised its full-year net income per diluted share guidance by $0.41 to a range of $10.53 to $10.63 [4] Analyst Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, analysts expect Essex's bottom line to grow by 2.3% year-over-year to $15.96 per share on a diluted basis, with a history of surpassing consensus estimates in the last four quarters [5] - Among 28 Wall Street analysts covering Essex, the consensus rating is a "Hold," consisting of six "Strong Buy," two "Moderate Buy," 18 "Hold," and two "Strong Sell" ratings [5]

Core Insights - The average S&P 500 company raised its dividend by 6.4% in 2024, outpacing the inflation rate of 2.9% [1] - S&P 500 companies are expected to raise dividends by 6% to 7% in 2025 [1] - Dividend increases can be misleading, as seen with Nvidia's 150% increase, which resulted in a yield below 1% for income-focused investors [2] Company Summaries Essex Property Trust - Essex Property Trust is a REIT with a current dividend yield of 3.9% and a market cap of $18 billion [4][6] - The company has nearly doubled its dividend over the last decade, with a 4.9% increase expected in 2025 [6][7] - Essex has a 31-year history of dividend increases and reported earnings growth of 39% year over year [7] Chevron - Chevron, an oil and gas giant with a market cap of $312 billion, offers a dividend yield of 4.4% [8][10] - The company has raised its dividend by 33% since 2020, outpacing the 25% inflation during that period [8] - Chevron's share buyback program, worth $75 billion, supports its dividend sustainability [10][11] Realty Income - Realty Income is a REIT with a diversified portfolio of commercial properties valued over $85 billion and a current dividend yield of 5.75% [12][14] - The company has raised its monthly dividend 132 times since 1994, demonstrating resilience through various economic downturns [13] - Realty Income's cumulative dividend increases over the last decade amount to a 46% hike, surpassing the 36% inflation during that time [15]

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