Crown Castle Inc. (CCI) vs Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS)
A side-by-side comparison of Crown Castle Inc. and Essex Property Trust, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of August 1, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CCI
Crown Castle Inc.
$76.30Real EstateAt close: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
ESS
Essex Property Trust, Inc.
$284.14Real EstateDelayed quote: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — CCI vs ESS
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 28yCCI +870.6%ESS +2728.6%ESS compounded faster
CCI ESS
CCI vs ESS: by the numbers
- •CCI is the larger company ($33.34B vs $18.26B market cap).
- •CCI trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (31.02 vs 44.19 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •CCI converts more revenue to profit (25.83% vs 12.33% net margin).
- •ESS grew revenue faster over the past five years (6.01% vs -7.20% CAGR).
- •CCI pays the higher dividend yield (5.57% vs 3.63%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CCI | ESS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 31.02 | 44.19 |
| Forward P/E | 38.60 | 47.72 |
| P/S ratio | 7.96 | 9.95 |
| P/B ratio | N/A | 3.49 |
| PEG ratio | N/A | 12.01 |
| EV / EBITDA | 20.80 | 19.20 |
Profitability
| Metric | CCI | ESS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 63.19% | 70.08% |
| Operating margin | 47.74% | 43.88% |
| Net margin | 25.83% | 12.33% |
| ROE | -27.16% | 4.46% |
| ROIC | 10.33% | 10.69% |
Dividends
| Metric | CCI | ESS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 5.57% | 3.63% |
| Payout ratio | 416.67% | 99.14% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CCI | ESS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -7.20% | 6.01% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -15.45% | 3.68% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -12.87% | 0.73% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CCI or ESS?
- CCI has the lower trailing P/E: CCI trades at 31.02 and ESS at 44.19. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CCI or ESS?
- Over the past five years, ESS grew revenue faster — CCI at a -7.20% CAGR versus ESS at 6.01%.
- Does CCI or ESS pay a bigger dividend?
- CCI yields 5.57% and ESS yields 3.63% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CCI or ESS more profitable?
- CCI runs the higher net margin — CCI at 25.83% versus ESS at 12.33%.
- How have CCI and ESS total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CCI delivered 1.80% and ESS delivered 5.39% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Crown Castle P/E ratioEssex Property Trust P/E ratioCrown Castle dividend yieldEssex Property Trust dividend yieldCrown Castle ROEEssex Property Trust ROECrown Castle operating marginEssex Property Trust operating marginCrown Castle revenue growthEssex Property Trust revenue growthCrown Castle free cash flowEssex Property Trust free cash flow
Crown Castle & Essex Property Trust appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified August 1, 2026.