Essential Utilities/$WTRG
1D1W1M3M6MYTD1Y5YMAX
Capital at risk
About Essential Utilities
Essential Utilities is a Pennsylvania-based holding company for US water, wastewater, and natural gas distribution utilities. The company's water business serves 3 million people in eight states. Its largest service territory is in Pennsylvania, primarily suburban Philadelphia. Its Peoples subsidiary serves more than 740,000 gas distribution customers in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. It completed the sale of its West Virginia gas utility and the bulk of its nonregulated assets in 2024. Essential shareholders would own a 31% stake in American Water Works if the proposed all-stock merger closes in 2027.
- Ticker
- $WTRG
- Sector
- Utilities
- Primary listing
- NYSE
- Employees
- 3,303
- Headquarters
- Bryn Mawr, United States
- Website
- www.essential.co
WTRG Metrics
BasicAdvanced
$12B
22.25
$1.96
0.62
$1.39
3.31%
Price and volume
Market cap
$12B
Beta
0.62
52-week high
$44.09
52-week low
$36.11
Average daily volume
2.3M
Dividend rate
$1.39
Financial strength
Current ratio
0.777
Quick ratio
0.525
Long term debt to equity
1.2
Total debt to equity
1.212
Dividend payout ratio (TTM)
69.80%
Interest coverage (TTM)
2.65%
Profitability
EBITDA (TTM)
1,347.437
Gross margin (TTM)
56.47%
Net profit margin (TTM)
21.60%
Operating margin (TTM)
35.48%
Effective tax rate (TTM)
5.01%
Revenue per employee (TTM)
$780,000
Management effectiveness
Return on assets (TTM)
2.96%
Return on equity (TTM)
8.08%
Valuation
Price to earnings (TTM)
22.253
Price to revenue (TTM)
4.793
Price to book
1.76
Price to tangible book (TTM)
2.65
Price to free cash flow (TTM)
-27.243
Free cash flow yield (TTM)
-3.67%
Free cash flow per share (TTM)
-1.597
Dividend yield (TTM)
3.19%
Forward dividend yield
3.31%
Growth
Revenue change (TTM)
9.86%
Earnings per share change (TTM)
-16.19%
3-year revenue growth (CAGR)
3.70%
10-year revenue growth (CAGR)
12.17%
3-year earnings per share growth (CAGR)
3.38%
10-year earnings per share growth (CAGR)
5.27%
3-year dividend per share growth (CAGR)
6.08%
10-year dividend per share growth (CAGR)
6.77%
What the Analysts think about WTRG
Analyst ratings (Buy, Hold, Sell) for Essential Utilities stock.
Analyst projections of the future price of Essential Utilities stock.
Bulls say / Bears say
The American Water deal has cleared shareholder votes, the federal waiting period and regulators in Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia. That brings the proposed combination closer and could give WTRG investors exposure to a much larger water utility, although approvals are still outstanding. (American Water)
Essential secured rate awards and surcharges expected to add $56.6 million in annual revenue in 2026, and plans $1.7 billion of infrastructure investment. If spending is completed and regulators allow recovery, it can expand the regulated asset base and support earnings growth. (The Motley Fool)
Second-quarter regulated water revenue grew 7.6%, helped by higher rates and volumes. The company also raised its dividend by 5.25%, extending a long record of quarterly payments and supporting its appeal to income investors. (Yahoo Finance, The Motley Fool)
Pennsylvania officials are pressing utilities to show that proposed investment is necessary and cost-effective, raising the risk of tougher rate-case outcomes. Essential delayed its next Aqua Pennsylvania water filing until around year-end, while its $163.2 million gas rate request remains pending. (The Motley Fool)
Long-term debt rose to $8.42 billion by June from $8.11 billion at year-end, while Essential is targeting $1.7 billion of infrastructure spending this year. Higher interest costs and lower capitalised interest already weighed on quarterly earnings, leaving the investment programme exposed to financing costs. (SEC, The Motley Fool)
The Pennsylvania merger settlement is non-unanimous and still needs review and approval by the state commission. Remaining regulatory decisions could delay the planned combination or impose terms that reduce its expected benefits. (SEC)
Data summarised monthly by Lightyear AI. Last updated on 15 Oct 2026.
WTRG Financial Performance
Revenues and expenses
WTRG Earnings Performance
Company profitability
Upcoming events
WTRG News
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Funds containing WTRG
AllUSDEURGBP
Fund name | Fund size | $WTRG weighting |
|---|---|---|
iShares Global Water£IH2O | $2.2B | 5.60% |
iShares Global Water€IQQQ | $2.1B | 5.60% |
SPDR S&P US Dividend Aristocrats€SPYD | $3.8B | 0.48% |
SPDR S&P US Dividend Aristocrats£USDV | $3.8B | 0.48% |
iShares Global Infrastructure€INFR | $2.5B | 0.36% |
Data displayed above is indicative only and its accuracy or completeness is not guaranteed. Actual execution price may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Your return may be affected by currency fluctuations and applicable fees and charges. Capital at risk.
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