Top-Rated Dividend StocksTop-Rated DividendNYSE:WTRG Essential Utilities (WTRG) Stock Price, News & Analysis → Bigger Than NVIDIA? (From Behind the Markets) (Ad) Free WTRG Stock Alerts $37.07 -0.06 (-0.16%) (As of 06/17/2024 ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$36.51▼$37.3150-Day Range$33.88▼$39.6752-Week Range$32.07▼$43.26Volume1.43 million shsAverage Volume1.13 million shsMarket Capitalization$10.14 billionP/E Ratio17.57Dividend Yield3.32%Price Target$43.00 Stock AnalysisStock AnalysisAnalyst ForecastsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsHeadlinesInsider TradesOptions ChainOwnershipSEC FilingsShort InterestSustainabilityTrendsStock AnalysisAnalyst ForecastsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsHeadlinesInsider TradesOptions ChainOwnershipSEC FilingsShort InterestSustainabilityTrends Get Essential Utilities alerts: Email Address Essential Utilities MarketRank™ Stock AnalysisAnalyst RatingBuy3.00 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside16.0% Upside$43.00 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy2.35% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthModerateBased on Four FactorsSustainability-2.18Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews Sentiment1.14Based on 4 Articles This WeekInsider TradingSelling Shares$281,035 Sold Last QuarterProj. Earnings Growth7.11%From $1.97 to $2.11 Per ShareSee Full Details Hide Full Details Overall MarketRank™New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank™ is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.4.61 out of 5 starsUtilities Sector14th out of 89 stocksWater Supply Industry2nd out of 12 stocks 2.5 Analyst's Opinion Consensus RatingEssential Utilities has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 3.00, and is based on 5 buy ratings, no hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Amount of Analyst CoverageEssential Utilities has only been the subject of 1 research reports in the past 90 days.Read more about Essential Utilities' stock forecast and price target. Previous Next 4.0 Short Interest Percentage of Shares Shorted2.35% of the outstanding shares of Essential Utilities have been sold short.Short Interest Ratio / Days to CoverEssential Utilities has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 4.1.Change versus previous monthShort interest in Essential Utilities has recently decreased by 5.43%, indicating that investor sentiment is improving significantly. Previous Next 2.5 Dividend Strength Dividend YieldEssential Utilities pays a meaningful dividend of 3.31%, higher than the bottom 25% of all stocks that pay dividends.Dividend GrowthEssential Utilities does not have a long track record of dividend growth.Dividend CoverageThe dividend payout ratio of Essential Utilities is 58.29%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%.Dividend SustainabilityBased on earnings estimates, Essential Utilities will have a dividend payout ratio of 58.29% next year. This indicates that Essential Utilities will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.Read more about Essential Utilities' dividend. Previous Next 3.1 Sustainability and ESG Overall ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ScoreEssential Utilities has received a 30.22% net impact score from Upright. The largest positive contribution comes from its "Societal infrastructure" impact, which is mostly driven by its "Natural gas distribution services", "Drinking water distribution services", and "Drinking water treatment services" products. See details.Environmental SustainabilityThe Environmental Impact score for Essential Utilities is -2.18. Previous Next 2.3 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentEssential Utilities has a news sentiment score of 1.14. This score is calculated as an average of sentiment of articles about the company over the last seven days and ranges from 2 (good news) to -2 (bad news). This is a higher news sentiment than the 0.71 average news sentiment score of Utilities companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 4 news articles for Essential Utilities this week, compared to 5 articles on an average week.Search InterestOnly 3 people have searched for WTRG on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. This is a decrease of -50% compared to the previous 30 days.MarketBeat FollowsOnly 4 people have added Essential Utilities to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. This is a decrease of -20% compared to the previous 30 days. Previous Next 2.5 Company Ownership Insider Buying vs. Insider SellingIn the past three months, Essential Utilities insiders have sold more of their company's stock than they have bought. Specifically, they have bought $0.00 in company stock and sold $281,035.00 in company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 0.21% of the stock of Essential Utilities is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions74.78% of the stock of Essential Utilities is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company.Read more about Essential Utilities' insider trading history. Previous Next 2.5 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for Essential Utilities are expected to grow by 7.11% in the coming year, from $1.97 to $2.11 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of Essential Utilities is 17.57, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 130.63.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of Essential Utilities is 17.57, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Utilities sector average P/E ratio of about 91.25.Price to Earnings Growth RatioEssential Utilities has a PEG Ratio of 3.28. PEG Ratios above 1 indicate that a company could be overvalued.Price to Book Value per Share RatioEssential Utilities has a P/B Ratio of 1.72. P/B Ratios below 3 indicates that a company is reasonably valued with respect to its assets and liabilities.Read more about Essential Utilities' valuation and earnings. Previous Next See Top Rated MarketRank™ Stocks Here Ad Behind the MarketsProtect Your Bank Account from ChinaChina is set to launch a gold-backed currency that could shake the financial world. This move will give them unprecedented power over global finance. And could divert trillions from U.S. Treasury bonds.Discover these 4 simple steps here >>> About Essential Utilities Stock (NYSE:WTRG)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. In addition, the company provides utility service line protection solutions and repair services to households. It serves approximately 5.5 million residential water, commercial water, fire protection, industrial water, wastewater, and other water and utility customers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, and Kentucky under the Aqua and Peoples brands. The company was formerly known as Aqua America, Inc. and changed its name to Essential Utilities, Inc. in February 2020. Essential Utilities, Inc. was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.Read More WTRG Stock Price History View Price History Chart DataSkip Price History Chart 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart WTRG Stock News HeadlinesJune 18 at 7:15 AM | fool.comTime to Pounce: 3 Dividend Stocks That Are Too Cheap to IgnoreJune 15 at 1:12 AM | americanbankingnews.comBrokerages Set Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) Price Target at $43.00June 10, 2024 | businesswire.comPeoples Natural Gas, H Quest, and University of Pittsburgh Team to Produce and Test Hydrogen Energy from Natural GasMay 30, 2024 | businesswire.comEssential Utilities Named a Leader in Climate Action by USA TODAYMay 29, 2024 | msn.comAqua Pennsylvania Seeks Rate Increase to Fund Infrastructure UpgradesMay 29, 2024 | businesswire.comEssential Utilities Celebrates the Success of Its Month-Long 2024 Earth Day CelebrationMay 27, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comInstitutional owners may take dramatic actions as Essential Utilities, Inc.'s (NYSE:WTRG) recent 5.2% drop adds to one-year lossesMay 23, 2024 | businesswire.comAqua Pennsylvania Files Rate Request Based on Water and Wastewater Operations, Infrastructure Improvements and Repairs Across the CommonwealthMay 23, 2024 | seekingalpha.comEssential Utilities: Why I'm Going To Be Buying MoreMay 21, 2024 | businesswire.comAqua Pennsylvania Secures up to $6.7 Million PENNVEST Grant for PFAS Treatment Facility Serving 25,000 People in Bucks CountyMay 20, 2024 | msn.comEssential Utilities Commits to $1 Billion Infrastructure UpgradeMay 17, 2024 | businesswire.comEssential Utilities Recognized as Best Commercial Fleet in Americas by the National Fleet Management AssociationMay 17, 2024 | benzinga.comThese 3 Utilities Stocks With Over 3% Dividend Yields Are Recommended By Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts - AES (NYSE:AES)May 16, 2024 | investorplace.comWall Street Favorites: 3 Retirement Stocks With Strong Buy Ratings for May 2024May 13, 2024 | businesswire.comEssential Utilities Celebrates Infrastructure Week, Announces 2024 Infrastructure UpgradesMay 13, 2024 | investorplace.comThe 3 Best Water Stocks to Buy in May 2024May 11, 2024 | markets.businessinsider.comEssential Utilities (WTRG) Receives a Rating Update from a Top AnalystMay 10, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities First Quarter 2024 Earnings: EPS Beats Expectations, Revenues LagMay 9, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comDecoding Essential Utilities Inc (WTRG): A Strategic SWOT InsightMay 8, 2024 | msn.comEssential Utilities Inc. Bolsters Board with Two High-Profile AppointmentsMay 7, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comWhat You Need To Know About The Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) Analyst Downgrade TodayMay 5, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comResults: Essential Utilities, Inc. Beat Earnings Expectations And Analysts Now Have New ForecastsMay 5, 2024 | seekingalpha.comEssential Utilities: A Quality Company With A Favorable ValuationMay 4, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Inc (WTRG) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript Highlights: Robust Growth Amid ...May 4, 2024 | finance.yahoo.comQ1 2024 Essential Utilities Inc Earnings CallSee More Headlines Receive WTRG Stock News and Ratings via Email Sign-up to receive the latest news and ratings for Essential Utilities and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter. Email Address Company Calendar Last Earnings5/02/2024Ex-Dividend for 6/1 Dividend5/09/2024Dividend Payable6/01/2024Today6/17/2024Next Earnings (Estimated)8/05/2024Fiscal Year End12/31/2024Get Stock AlertsIndustry, Sector and Symbol Stock ExchangeNYSE SectorUtilities Industry Water supply Sub-IndustryN/A Current SymbolNYSE:WTRG CUSIPN/A CIK78128 Webwww.essential.co Phone(610) 527-8000Fax610-645-1061Employees3,258Year FoundedN/APrice Target and Rating Average Stock Price Target$43.00 High Stock Price Target$45.00 Low Stock Price Target$42.00 Potential Upside/Downside+16.0%Consensus RatingBuy Rating Score (0-4)3.00 Research Coverage5 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$2.11 Trailing P/E Ratio17.57 Forward P/E Ratio18.82 P/E Growth3.28Net Income$498.23 million Net Margins29.52% Pretax Margin27.18% Return on Equity8.62% Return on Assets3.05% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio1.13 Current Ratio0.62 Quick Ratio0.52 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$2.05 billion Price / Sales4.94 Cash Flow$3.08 per share Price / Cash Flow12.05 Book Value$21.58 per share Price / Book1.72Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares273,520,000Free Float272,950,000Market Cap$10.14 billion OptionableOptionable Beta0.84 Elon Musk's Next MoveWondering when you'll finally be able to invest in SpaceX, StarLink, or The Boring Company? Click the link below to learn when Elon Musk will let these companies finally IPO.Get This Free Report Key ExecutivesMr. Christopher H. Franklin (Age 59)Chairman, President & CEO Comp: $2.44MMr. Daniel J. Schuller Ph.D. (Age 54)Executive VP & CFO Comp: $1MMr. Christopher Paul Luning (Age 56)Executive VP & General Counsel Comp: $824.8kMr. Matthew R. Rhodes (Age 46)Executive Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development Comp: $922.71kMs. Christina KellySenior VP & Chief Human Resources OfficerMs. Colleen M. Arnold (Age 53)President of Aqua Water Comp: $592.55kMr. Robert A. Rubin (Age 61)Senior VP, Controller & Chief Accounting Officer Mr. Sumit NairVP & Chief Information OfficerMs. Whitney S. KellettSenior Vice President & Chief Administrative OfficerMr. Brian DingerdissenVice President of Investor Relations & TreasurerMore ExecutivesKey CompetitorsAmerican Water WorksNYSE:AWKCompanhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESPNYSE:SBSCalifornia Water Service GroupNYSE:CWTAmerican States WaterNYSE:AWRSJW GroupNYSE:SJWView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsDekaBank Deutsche GirozentraleBought 2,589 shares on 6/4/2024Ownership: 0.130%Cambridge Trust Co.Bought 768 shares on 5/30/2024Ownership: 0.018%Pathway Financial Advisers LLCBought 27,868 shares on 5/29/2024Ownership: 0.010%Cetera Investment AdvisersBought 32,415 shares on 5/24/2024Ownership: 0.018%Cetera Advisors LLCBought 14,101 shares on 5/24/2024Ownership: 0.005%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions WTRG Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions Should I buy or sell Essential Utilities stock right now? 5 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Essential Utilities in the last year. There are currently 5 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "buy" WTRG shares. View WTRG analyst ratings or view top-rated stocks. What is Essential Utilities' stock price target for 2024? 5 Wall Street research analysts have issued 1-year price objectives for Essential Utilities' stock. Their WTRG share price targets range from $42.00 to $45.00. On average, they predict the company's stock price to reach $43.00 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 16.0% from the stock's current price. View analysts price targets for WTRG or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts. How have WTRG shares performed in 2024? Essential Utilities' stock was trading at $37.35 at the start of the year. Since then, WTRG stock has decreased by 0.7% and is now trading at $37.07. View the best growth stocks for 2024 here. When is Essential Utilities' next earnings date? The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Monday, August 5th 2024. View our WTRG earnings forecast. How were Essential Utilities' earnings last quarter? Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May, 2nd. The company reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.76 by $0.03. The firm earned $612.07 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $747.44 million. Essential Utilities had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 8.62% and a net margin of 29.52%. How often does Essential Utilities pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Essential Utilities? Essential Utilities announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, February 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 10th will be given a dividend of $0.3071 per share on Saturday, June 1st. This represents a $1.23 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 9th. This is a boost from the stock's previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. Read our dividend analysis for WTRG. Is Essential Utilities a good dividend stock? Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) pays an annual dividend of $1.23 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 3.31%. The dividend payout ratio is 58.29%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, WTRG will have a dividend payout ratio of 58.29% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. Read our dividend analysis for WTRG. What ETFs hold Essential Utilities' stock? ETFs with the largest weight of Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) stock in their portfolio include Macquarie Global Listed Infrastructure ETF (BILD), Global X Clean Water ETF (AQWA), Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW), Invesco Real Assets ESG ETF (IVRA), First Trust Water ETF (FIW), iShares Environmental Infrastructure and Industrials ETF (EFRA), Invesco Water Resources ETF (PHO) and Ecofin Global Water ESG Fund (EBLU). What guidance has Essential Utilities issued on next quarter's earnings? Essential Utilities updated its FY 2024 earnings guidance on Friday, May, 3rd. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 2.000- for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.980. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Who are Essential Utilities' major shareholders? Essential Utilities' stock is owned by many different institutional and retail investors. Top institutional investors include Vanguard Group Inc. (10.20%), Nordea Investment Management AB (1.25%), Tandem Investment Advisors Inc. (0.74%), Epoch Investment Partners Inc. (0.46%), Principal Financial Group Inc. (0.41%) and ProShare Advisors LLC (0.31%). Insiders that own company stock include Chris Franklin, Colleen Arnold, Daniel Schuller, Ellen T Ruff and Robert A Rubin. View institutional ownership trends. How do I buy shares of Essential Utilities? Shares of WTRG stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services. Compare Top Brokerages Here. This page (NYSE:WTRG) was last updated on 6/18/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff From Our PartnersAI's Next Magnificent SevenThe Original Magnificent Seven Produced 16,894% Average Returns Over 20 Years.The Oxford Club | SponsoredBigger Than NVIDIA?With NVIDIA flying high, everyone is looking for the next breakout stock. But right now... 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