AHRT vs ELS vs ESS Stock Comparison

AH Realty Trust, Equity Lifestyle Properties and Essex Property Trust Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Equity Lifestyle Properties leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Equity Lifestyle Properties 6, Essex Property Trust 5). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionAHRTELSESSLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $454.76M $11.34B $16.98B ESS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only -9.5x 29.0x 41.0x ELS
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS — 28.2x 52.8x ELS
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +3.9% +3.2% +4.7% ESS
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months -22.4% 24.8% 21.5% ELS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital — 7.8% — –
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 6.9x 5.2x 5.3x ELS
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.04% 0.04% ESS
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -9.9% -3.9% +4.8% ESS
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -15.0%/yr -6.9%/yr -4.5%/yr ESS
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 28.7% 18.6% 20.1% ELS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 48/100 50/100 46/100 ELS

Percentile Scorecard

AHRTELSESS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisAHRTELSESS
Valuation 83 #26 of 145 10 #130 of 145 12 #128 of 145
Growth 11 #126 of 141 51 #69 of 141 34 #93 of 141
Profitability 22 #105 of 134 94 #9 of 134 93 #10 of 134
Financial Health 29 #98 of 138 39 #84 of 138 51 #68 of 138
Shareholder Returns 96 #6 of 131 55 #60 of 131 38 #82 of 131
Overall 48 50 46
  • AHRT ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs
  • ELS ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs
  • ESS ranked among 149 companies in Property REITs

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodAHRTELSESSSPY
1 month +3.1%+0.4%+1.2% -0.2%
3 months -14.5%-9.9%-6.7% +3.9%
6 months -1.8%-5.0%+2.6% +8.2%
Year to date -8.2%-1.8%+5.0% +12.9%
1 year -9.9%-3.9%+4.8% +12.3%
3 years -38.6%-7.5%+33.1% +87.4%
3 years, per year -15.0%-2.6%+10.0% +23.3%
5 years -55.6%-30.2%-20.5% +67.9%
5 years, per year -15.0%-6.9%-4.5% +10.9%
10 years -54.1%+63.3%+33.5% +261.1%
10 years, per year -7.5%+5.0%+2.9% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureAHRTELSESSSPY
Volatility, 1Y 28.7%18.6%20.1% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 29.3%18.1%21.8% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.56-0.220.12 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.35-0.210.24 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -67.2%-34.2%-45.4% -25.4%
From 52-week high -16.1%-13.0%-7.9% -1.2%
52-week high $7.25$68.37$298.33 $779.14
52-week low $5.15$57.64$239.61 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleAHRTELSESS
P/E now vs peer median -9.6xmedian 26.3x 29.5xmedian 26.3x 42.7xmedian 26.3x
P/S now vs peer median 2.1xmedian 4.0x 7.3xmedian 4.0x 9.2xmedian 4.0x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 10.2xmedian 14.4x 23.3xmedian 14.4x 19.4xmedian 14.4x
P/FCF now vs peer median -34.5xmedian 23.3x 31.1xmedian 23.3x 30.4xmedian 23.3x
P/B now vs peer median 0.6xmedian 1.3x 6.4xmedian 1.3x 3.2xmedian 1.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.22median 1.91 3.30median 1.91 -5.32median 1.91

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsAHRTELSESS
Revenue $213.90M $1.58B $1.93B
Gross profit – $1.44B –
Operating income $48.47M $412.54M $627.10M
Net income -$49.88M $404.07M $437.61M
Free cash flow -$13.16M $370.75M $580.66M
EPS (diluted) $-0.64 $1.95 $6.44
Cash & equivalents $20.66M $24.33M $58.33M
Total debt $955.86M $3.31B $26.96B
Shares (diluted) 75.29M 200.25M 64.28M
Enterprise value $318.30M $11.21B $16.74B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricAHRTELSESS
P/E -9.6x 29.5x 42.7x
P/FCF -34.5x 31.1x 30.4x
P/Operating cash flow 5.5x 19.5x 15.8x
P/S 2.1x 7.3x 9.2x
P/B 0.6x 6.4x 3.2x
P/Tangible book 0.6x 6.4x 3.2x
EV/EBITDA 10.2x 23.3x 19.4x
EV/EBIT 28.7x 35.9x 38.8x
EV/Revenue 6.5x 9.4x 12.6x
EV/FCF -105.6x 40.0x 41.9x
EV/Operating cash flow 16.7x 25.0x 21.7x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.22 3.30 -5.32

Growth

14 metrics
MetricAHRTELSESS
Revenue growth (1Y) 3.9% 3.2% 4.7%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -28.9% 2.4% 5.2%
Gross profit growth (1Y) – 3.4% –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) – 3.9% –
Operating income growth (1Y) -25.1% 4.9% -35.4%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -26.6% 16.4% -2.6%
Net income growth (1Y) -309.0% 1.3% -49.8%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -38.3% 9.2% -7.9%
EPS growth (1Y) -610.4% 2.3% -48.2%
EPS CAGR (3Y) -43.4% 8.9% -8.0%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 103.3% 2.8% 8.3%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) -8.0% 6.6% 5.4%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -64.9% 11.0% 344.6%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 10.0% 22.6% -3.3%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricAHRTELSESS
Gross margin – 91.0% –
EBITDA margin 63.7% 40.3% 64.9%
Operating margin 22.7% 26.1% 32.5%
Pretax margin -6.6% 18.3% 18.9%
Net margin -22.4% 24.8% 21.5%
FCF margin -6.2% 23.5% 30.1%
Operating cash flow margin 38.9% 37.6% 58.0%
Return on equity -6.8% 22.3% 7.9%
Return on assets -2.3% 7.0% 3.4%
Return on invested capital – 7.8% –
Return on capital employed – – –
Asset turnover 0.1x 0.3x 0.1x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) -1.7x 1.5x 2.6x
Stock comp / revenue 2.2% 0.4% 0.6%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricAHRTELSESS
Debt / assets 49.6% 57.4% 51.9%
Debt / equity 1.3x 1.8x 1.2x
Net debt / EBITDA 6.9x 5.2x 5.3x
Debt / FCF -72.7x 8.9x 11.5x
Liabilities / assets 62.9% 68.7% 57.5%
Equity / assets 37.1% 31.3% 42.5%
Interest coverage 0.7x 3.0x 2.4x
Current ratio – – –
Quick ratio – – –
Cash ratio – – –
Altman Z-score – – –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricAHRTELSESS
Dividend yield 6.9% 3.6% 3.8%
Net buyback yield 7.4% 0.0% 0.3%
Shareholder yield 14.3% 3.6% 4.1%
Payout ratio (earnings) – 101.5% 151.6%
Payout ratio (FCF) – 110.6% 114.2%
Dividend growth (1Y) – 8.7% 4.0%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – 8.7% 4.8%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusAHRTELSESS
Forward P/E – 28.2xFY2026 52.8xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $-0.69FY2026 $2.11FY2026 $5.21FY2026
EPS growth, next FY – +5.0%FY2026 -49.9%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after – +9.0% +29.6%
Revenue, next fiscal year $199.97MFY2026 $1.52BFY2026 $2.05BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY -25.8%FY2026 -0.6%FY2026 +9.2%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +10.3% +14.4% -7.5%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersAHRTELSESS
Held by institutions 75.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Institutions holding 196 476 630
Change in shares held, QoQ +0.8% +2.6% +4.7%
Institutions buying 93 220 348
Institutions selling 74 190 183
Buyers to sellers 1.26 1.16 1.90

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

AHRTELSESS
AHRT 1.00 0.21 0.36
ELS 0.21 1.00 0.52
ESS 0.36 0.52 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, AHRT, ELS and ESS?

Essex Property Trust (ESS) is the largest by market capitalisation: AH Realty Trust (AHRT) $454.76M, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) $11.34B, Essex Property Trust (ESS) $16.98B.

Which stock is cheaper, AHRT, ELS and ESS?

Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (AH Realty Trust (AHRT) -9.5x, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) 29.0x, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 41.0x). On next year's consensus earnings, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) is cheapest (Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) 28.2x, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 52.8x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Essex Property Trust (ESS) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: AH Realty Trust (AHRT) +3.9%, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) +3.2%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) +4.7%.

Which company is more profitable?

Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) has the highest net margin (AH Realty Trust (AHRT) -22.4%, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) 24.8%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 21.5%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Essex Property Trust (ESS) returned the most: AH Realty Trust (AHRT) -9.9%, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) -3.9%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) +4.8%. Over five years, Essex Property Trust (ESS) compounded fastest (AH Realty Trust (AHRT) -15.0%/yr, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) -6.9%/yr, Essex Property Trust (ESS) -4.5%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Essex Property Trust (ESS) has the highest dividend yield: AH Realty Trust (AHRT) 0.00%, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) 0.04%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 0.04%. AH Realty Trust (AHRT) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) has been the steadiest (AH Realty Trust (AHRT) 28.7%, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) 18.6%, Essex Property Trust (ESS) 20.1%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, AHRT, ELS and ESS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.