Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) Updates FY 2025 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• Essential Utilities updated its FY 2025 earnings guidance, projecting earnings per share between 2.070-2.110, slightly below the consensus estimate of 2.098.
• The company announced a dividend increase, declaring a quarterly dividend of $0.3426, up from $0.33, with a dividend yield of 3.7%.
• Several analysts have upgraded their ratings on the stock, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy", and an average target price of $43.50.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG - Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2025 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 2.070-2.110 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.098. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Essential Utilities Price Performance

Essential Utilities stock traded down $0.10 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $36.82. 2,505,107 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,691,523. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16. The business has a fifty day moving average of $37.61 and a 200 day moving average of $37.85. Essential Utilities has a 1-year low of $33.18 and a 1-year high of $41.78. The company has a market capitalization of $10.32 billion, a PE ratio of 16.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.42 and a beta of 0.79.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.27 by $0.11. Essential Utilities had a return on equity of 9.81% and a net margin of 27.17%. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Essential Utilities will post 1.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Essential Utilities Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 12th will be issued a $0.3426 dividend. This represents a $1.37 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 12th. This is an increase from Essential Utilities's previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. Essential Utilities's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 58.30%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Essential Utilities from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, July 26th. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on shares of Essential Utilities from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $43.50.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Essential Utilities

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 29,674 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,173,000 after buying an additional 530 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 7.8% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 12,861 shares of the company's stock valued at $508,000 after buying an additional 928 shares during the period. Focus Partners Wealth grew its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 4.9% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 22,322 shares of the company's stock valued at $882,000 after buying an additional 1,044 shares during the period. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new position in shares of Essential Utilities in the 4th quarter valued at $638,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 122.7% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 943,797 shares of the company's stock valued at $37,308,000 after buying an additional 519,933 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.78% of the company's stock.

Essential Utilities Company Profile

Essential Utilities, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates regulated utilities that provide water, wastewater, or natural gas services in the United States. The company operates through Regulated Water and Regulated Natural Gas segments. It offers water services through operating and maintenance contract with municipal authorities and other parties.

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