Dividend aristocrats make an excellent case for inclusion in your portfolio, irrespective of the underlying circumstances. To qualify as a dividend aristocrat, a stock must represent one of the S&P 500 companies and have boosted their dividend every year for at least 25 years.

The next cycle for public REITs could be more similar to those of the 1990s and early 2000s than one of the past 14 years. In prior cycles, public REITs enjoyed a cost of capital that allowed for significant external growth, boosting cash flow and dividends per share. Many companies spent the past cycle shoring up their balance sheets to record low leverage and maintaining a low dividend payout to enhance flexibility.

Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS ) Q2 2024 Earnings Conference Call July 31, 2024 1:00 PM ET Company Participants Angela Kleiman - President and CEO Barb Pak - CFO & EVP Rylan Burns - EVP and Chief Investment Officer Conference Call Participants Austin Wurschmidt - KeyBanc Capital Markets Nick Joseph - Citi Steven Song - Bank of America Daniel Tricarico - Scotiabank Brad Heffern - RBC Capital Markets Haendel St. Juste - Mizuho Securities Adam Kramer - Morgan Stanley James Feldman - Wells Fargo Connor Mitchell - Piper Sandler John Kim - BMO Capital Markets Wes Golladay - Baird Ami Probandt - UBS Operator Good day, and welcome to Essex Property Trust's Second Quarter 2024 Earnings Call. As a reminder, today's conference call is being recorded.

Essex Property Trust (ESS) possesses solid growth attributes, which could help it handily outperform the market.

Essex Property's (ESS) Q2 FFO tops estimates. Results reflect favorable growth in same-property revenues and net operating income.

Although the revenue and EPS for Essex Property Trust (ESS) give a sense of how its business performed in the quarter ended June 2024, it might be worth considering how some key metrics compare with Wall Street estimates and the year-ago numbers.

Essex Property Trust (ESS) came out with quarterly funds from operations (FFO) of $3.94 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.84 per share. This compares to FFO of $3.77 per share a year ago.

24/7 Insights Dividend Aristocrat shareholders could see some big upside in August.

Essex Property's (ESS) Q2 results are likely to show the benefits of a solid property base and technological initiatives.

Landlords face challenges when tenants stop paying rent, especially with single-family homes. Apartment buildings with multiple units provide more stability, while owning a portfolio of multifamily buildings minimizes the impact of delinquent tenants. Investing in blue-chip multifamily REITs like AvalonBay Communities, Camden Property Trust, Essex Property Trust, and Mid-America Apartment Communities can offer safe dividends and strong total returns.

REITs are structured for income investors, obligated to pay out 90% of earnings to shareholders, making them an income-producing vehicle. REITs are undervalued and positioned to do well as the rate cut cycle debuts, making them an attractive sector to become overweight. A list of 12 handpicked REITs is provided, offering a combination of high dividend yields, dividend growth, and value for potential investors.

A sturdy property base in the West Coast market with favorable demand drivers is likely to aid Essex Property (ESS). Technology initiatives to drive margins and a healthy balance sheet bode well for long-term growth.