--- title: "Essex Property Shareholders Back Directors, Auditor and Pay" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286479617.md" description: "Essex Property Trust, Inc. held its annual stockholders meeting on May 12, 2026, where shareholders elected nine directors, including Angela L. Kleiman and George M. Marcus, and ratified KPMG LLP as the independent auditor. The advisory vote on executive compensation showed continued support for the company's governance. Analysts rate ESS stock as a Hold with a $278.00 price target, while Spark's AI Analyst gives it an Outperform rating, citing solid financial performance despite some challenges. Essex focuses on multifamily residential properties in high-demand markets on the West Coast." datetime: "2026-05-14T23:12:33.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286479617.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286479617.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286479617.md) --- # Essex Property Shareholders Back Directors, Auditor and Pay ### Claim 55% Off TipRanks - Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions - Discover top-performing stock ideas and upgrade to a portfolio of market leaders with Smart Investor Picks Essex Property ( (ESS) ) has shared an update. On May 12, 2026, Essex Property Trust, Inc. held its annual meeting of stockholders, who elected nine directors to serve until the 2027 meeting, including Angela L. Kleiman and long-time chair George M. Marcus, with most nominees receiving strong support despite a notably lower vote for Keith R. Guericke. Shareholders also ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent auditor for the 2026 fiscal year and approved, on an advisory basis, the company’s executive compensation program, signaling continued investor backing of Essex’s governance, leadership, and financial oversight structures. The most recent analyst rating on (ESS) stock is a Hold with a $278.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Essex Property stock, see the ESS Stock Forecast page. **Spark’s Take on ESS Stock** According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, ESS is a Outperform. The score is driven primarily by solid financial performance (strong revenue growth and margins) tempered by softer earnings vs prior years and sharply weaker TTM free-cash-flow growth. Technicals are supportive with an uptrend in place, while valuation support comes mainly from the ~3.9% dividend yield (P/E not usable). The latest earnings call was a net positive with an FFO beat and reaffirmed guidance, partially offset by regional and structured-finance headwinds. To see Spark’s full report on ESS stock, click here. **More about Essex Property** Essex Property Trust, Inc. is a real estate investment trust focused on multifamily residential properties, primarily owning, operating, and developing apartment communities. The company targets high-barrier, supply-constrained markets, positioning itself as a major institutional landlord in key West Coast urban and suburban regions where demand for rental housing remains strong. **Average Trading Volume:** 467,170 **Technical Sentiment Signal:** Strong Buy **Current Market Cap:** $17.85B ### Related Stocks - [ESS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ESS.US.md) - [XLRE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/XLRE.US.md) - [WTRE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/WTRE.US.md) - [REET.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/REET.US.md) - [VNQ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VNQ.US.md) - [RWO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RWO.US.md) - [REZ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/REZ.US.md) - [SCHH.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SCHH.US.md) - [IYR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/IYR.US.md) - [GQRE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GQRE.US.md) - [RWR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RWR.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman is preparing for the next revolution in real estate](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286568837.md) - [Hong Kong stars Nick Cheung and William Chan join wave of upmarket home sales](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286873125.md) - [Regency Centers Updates Investor Presentation for Conferences](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286800935.md) - [Starwood Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. 1Q 2026: Revenue $392.3M, EPS $(0.29) — 10-Q Summary](https://longbridge.com/en/news/285983661.md) - [Griffin Hoffmann Joins Andover Real Estate Partners as Principal, Head of Acquisitions](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286097601.md)