ESS dividend analysis

ESS dividend deep dive

ESS pays $13.54 per share annually, a 3.60% yield against the current price. The 46% payout sits inside the 60% threshold that's the conventional comfort zone for ongoing distribution growth.

Quality + Risk pillar breakdown on the ESS dividend: Quality 51, Risk 1, composite safety 53/100. The Risk pillar specifically captures balance-sheet leverage and earnings volatility, both of which weigh on the distribution's durability through cycles.

ESS reinvested-yield math, holding TTM yield (3.60%) and 5y CAGR (1.6%) constant: 5/10/20-year cumulative income totals 19.7% / 43.2% / 105.1%.

Sector dividend comp for ESS: KO (5.00%), PG (1.50%), PEP (2.90%) (mean 3.13%). On the trailing TTM line, ESS pays 3.60% — a +0.47-pp gap to the cohort mean.

ESS dividend calendar: ex-date 2026-03-01, pay date 2026-03-15. The pattern is quarterly, which means four payments per year at the current $3.385 per quarter run-rate.

Bottom line on ESS: 3.60% TTM yield + 1.6% growth + 53/100 safety. The forward question is whether the 46% payout ratio leaves enough free cash flow for continued growth at the current pace.