ESRT vs PLD Stock Comparison

Compare ESRT and PLD across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 1 points
ESRT
Real Estate
vs
PLD
Real Estate
ESRT
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
Price
$4.28
Day move
+0.94%
AIQ Score
37/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Real Estate
PLD
Prologis, Inc.
Leads
Price
$136
Day move
+1%
AIQ Score
38/100
Best edge
Quality
Sector
Real Estate

What is the main difference between ESRT and PLD?

PLD leads the current stock comparison as Prologis, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. vs Prologis, Inc.

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· Real Estate· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 3/10

PLD leads

PLD leads by 1 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience. Wall Street currently favors ESRT on target upside.

Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support PLD, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 6Comparison trend: Stable
ESRT

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

AIQ Score
37/100
AIQ Edge Score
2/10
PLD

Prologis, Inc.

Leads
AIQ Score
38/100
AIQ Edge Score
3/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors PLD over ESRT, 38 versus 37 as of Sep 11, 2026. PLD's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while ESRT holds the stronger value profile. PLD also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors ESRT. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PLD today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. PLD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 1 points over 30 sessions.

Compare Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. and Prologis, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

ESRT
-57.6%
PLD
+1.2%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

ESRT $4,240 · PLD $10,123

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare ESRT and PLD against another ticker

Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.

Basic: 2 symbols·Explorer: 3 symbols·Pro and Premium: 5 symbols·Your limit: 2

AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

ESRT advantage
0
PLD advantage
  • Value75 vs 34
    ESRT +41
  • Quality1 vs 41
    PLD +40
  • Risk Resilience53 vs 59
    PLD +6
  • Momentum25 vs 25
    Even

3 of 6 evidence groups favor PLD. PLD’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; ESRT keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

ESRT0 AIQ

Largest factor move: Risk Resilience +1

No new signals fired.

PLD0 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -1

New signals

  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon

PLD's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ESRT and PLD both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

PLD (Prologis, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.

ESRT (Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 30.6% against 14.8%.

The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

PLD

PLD on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

PLD

PLD on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

ESRT

ESRT on the peer-relative Value factor, by 41 points.

Momentum

Even

The two are level on Momentum.

Lower downside

PLD

PLD on Risk Resilience, by 6 points.

Analyst upside

ESRT

ESRT on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors PLD, analyst targets favor ESRT. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.

MeasureESRTPLDNote
Implied upside to target+28.5%+13.9%ESRT has more room
Target dispersion+18.2%+22.6%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusHoldBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering213Higher coverage generally improves confidence

The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor PLD. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreEven37 vs 38
FundamentalsPLDrevenue growth 3.5% vs 5.6%; EPS growth -21.8% vs 8.6%; gross margin -22.9% vs 29.1%; operating margin 16.8% vs 38.4%
ValuationESRTValue 75 vs 34
TechnicalsPLDPrice vs 50-day -15.1% vs -4.4%; vs 200-day -25.5% vs -1.2%
Risk ResiliencePLDRisk Resilience 53 vs 59
Analyst expectationsESRTTarget upside 28.5% vs 13.9%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ESRT and PLD and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on PLD.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

PLD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 1 points over 30 sessions.

May 4ESRT leads above the line · PLD leads belowSep 10
Today
PLD +1
37 vs 38
7 sessions ago
PLD +1
40 vs 41
30 sessions ago
PLD +1
38 vs 39
90 sessions ago
ESRT +2
45 vs 43

The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Jul 30 when PLD moved ahead of ESRT.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

ESRTConflicted

1 bullish / 5 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

  • Death Cross Active bearish, trend, long horizon (12.92%)
  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce bullish, momentum, short horizon
PLDConflicted

2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (3.23%)
  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon
  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon

PLD leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

ESRTNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.94%, AIQ 0 points).

PLDNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1%, AIQ 0 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1ESRT closes the Quality gap — currently 40 points behind, the largest single contributor to PLD's edge.
  2. 2ESRT's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
  3. 3PLD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

PLD leads on balance
MetricESRTPLD
Revenue growth (YoY)3.5%5.6%
EPS growth (YoY)-21.8%8.6%
Gross margin-22.9%29.1%
Operating margin16.8%38.4%
Return on equity (TTM)0.7%7.9%
Debt to equity2.140.68

Performance

PLD leads 6 of 6 windows
MetricESRTPLD
1 week (5 sessions)-3.4%-1.6%
1 month (20 sessions)-10.2%-4.5%
3 months (63 sessions)-24.2%-4.4%
6 months (126 sessions)-20.3%0%
Year to date-32.7%5.3%
1 year (252 sessions)-45.5%18.9%

Technicals

PLD has the stronger structure
MetricESRTPLD
RSI (14)22.232
ADX (14)30.619.4
Price vs 50-day-15.1%-4.4%
Price vs 200-day-25.5%-1.2%
Volatility (1M, annualized)30.6%14.8%

Risk

PLD is the more resilient
MetricESRTPLD
Beta0.330.46
Sharpe ratio-1.620.77
Sortino ratio-2.121.22
Max drawdown-46.8%-10.4%
Current drawdown-46.8%-10.4%
Annualized volatility34.9%21.7%
Value at risk (95%)-3.4%-2.2%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, ESRT or PLD?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, PLD is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 38 against ESRT's 37. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. ESRT is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is ESRT or PLD the better buy right now?

PLD carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 1 points. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor PLD over ESRT?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. ESRT leads Value by 41 points; PLD leads Quality by 40 points; PLD leads Risk Resilience by 6 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, ESRT or PLD?

Analyst price targets imply +28.5% upside for ESRT and +13.9% for PLD, so the Street currently favors ESRT. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors PLD. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, ESRT or PLD?

ESRT is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. ESRT on the peer-relative Value factor, by 41 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, ESRT or PLD?

PLD on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, ESRT or PLD?

The two are level on Momentum. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, ESRT or PLD?

PLD is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. PLD on Risk Resilience, by 6 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is ESRT more profitable than PLD?

PLD leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin -22.9% vs 29.1%; operating margin 16.8% vs 38.4%; ttm roe 0.7% vs 7.9%.

Is PLD's lead over ESRT getting stronger or weaker?

PLD lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 1 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-30, when PLD moved ahead of ESRT.

What would change the ESRT vs PLD verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ESRT closes the Quality gap — currently 40 points behind, the largest single contributor to PLD's edge; ESRT's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; PLD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about ESRT and PLD?

ESRT: 1 bullish / 5 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. PLD: 2 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ESRT is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On PLD it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare ESRT and PLD with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.