Empire State Realty (ESRT) vs RLJ Lodging (RLJ)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
RLJ Lodging (RLJ) has outperformed Empire State Realty (ESRT) over the past year, gaining 58.8% versus a loss of 42.4%. Over five years, RLJ leads with a -25.3% price change compared with -59.1% for ESRT. RLJ Lodging is the larger company by market cap ($1.70 billion vs $1.36 billion), about 1.2 times the size.
On valuation, Empire State Realty trades at a lower forward P/E (74.2x vs 4438.0x for RLJ Lodging). RLJ Lodging offers the higher dividend yield (5.41% vs 3.15%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ESRT | RLJ |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $4.45 | $11.10 |
| Market cap | $1.36B | $1.70B |
| 1-day change | -0.45% | -0.31% |
| YTD return | -31.44% | +49.40% |
| 1-year return | -42.40% | +58.77% |
| 5-year return | -59.07% | -25.25% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 222.50 | — |
| Forward P/E | 74.17 | — |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.02 | $0.00 |
| Dividend yield | 3.15% | 5.41% |
| Annual dividend | $0.14 | $0.60 |
| 52-week high | $8.04 | $12.89 |
| 52-week low | $3.93 | $6.54 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -44.65% | -13.93% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +21.35% | +5.90% |
| Average volume | 3.10M | 1.76M |
| Shares outstanding | 172.17M | 152.38M |
| Employees | 642 | 75 |
| Sector | Real Estate | Real Estate |
| Industry | Real Estate Investment Trusts | Real Estate Investment Trusts |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- RLJ has outperformed ESRT by 101.2 percentage points over the past year.
- RLJ Lodging offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (5.41% vs 3.15%).
About Empire State Realty
ESRT stock →Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of well-leased, top of tier, modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts · 642 employees
About RLJ Lodging
RLJ stock →RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns 91 premium-branded, rooms-oriented, high-margin, focused-service and compact full-service hotels located within the heart of demand locations. We own a geographically diversified portfolio of hotels located in urban markets that exhibit multiple demand generators and attractive long-term growth prospects.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts · 75 employees
ESRT vs RLJ FAQ
Which is bigger, Empire State Realty or RLJ Lodging?
RLJ Lodging (RLJ) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.70B compared with $1.36B for Empire State Realty (ESRT).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ESRT or RLJ?
RLJ returned +58.77% over the past 12 months, compared with -42.40% for ESRT (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Empire State Realty or RLJ Lodging?
RLJ Lodging has the higher yield at 5.41%, compared with 3.15% for Empire State Realty.
Are Empire State Realty and RLJ Lodging in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry within the Real Estate sector.