Top-Rated Dividend Stocks Positive News Sentiment NYSE:WTRG Essential Utilities - WTRG Stock Forecast, Price & News Adding Choose a watchlist: Watchlist Adding You have already added five stocks to your watchlist. Upgrade to MarketBeat Daily Premium to add more stocks to your watchlist. Adding Essential Utilities, Inc. Please log in to your account or sign up in order to add this asset to your watchlist. $48.10 +1.37 (+2.93%) (As of 02/1/2023 12:00 AM ET) Add Compare Share Share Today's Range$46.38▼$48.3950-Day Range$46.10▼$48.9952-Week Range$38.50▼$52.62Volume1.57 million shsAverage Volume975,226 shsMarket Capitalization$12.62 billionP/E Ratio27.18Dividend Yield2.49%Price Target$51.86 ProfileAnalyst RatingsChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsShort InterestSocial MediaSustainability Essential Utilities MarketRank™ ForecastAnalyst RatingModerate Buy2.75 Rating ScoreUpside/Downside7.8% Upside$51.86 Price TargetShort InterestHealthy1.14% of Shares Sold ShortDividend StrengthStrongBased on Four FactorsSustainability-2.18Upright™ Environmental ScoreNews SentimentN/AInsider TradingSelling Shares$410,538 Sold Last QuarterProj. Earnings Growth6.18%From $1.78 to $1.89 Per ShareSee Full Details Hide Full Details Overall MarketRank™MarketRank is calculated as an average of available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.2.63 out of 5 starsUtilities Sector6th out of 84 stocksWater Supply Industry3rd out of 12 stocks 1.4 Analyst's Opinion Consensus RatingEssential Utilities has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.75, and is based on 6 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Price Target Upside/DownsideAccording to analysts' consensus price target of $51.86, Essential Utilities has a forecasted upside of 7.8% from its current price of $48.10.Amount of Analyst CoverageEssential Utilities has only been the subject of 1 research reports in the past 90 days. Previous Next 5.0 Short Interest Percentage of Shares Shorted1.14% 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 2.9, which is generally considered an acceptable ratio of short interest to trading volume.Change versus previous monthShort interest in Essential Utilities has recently decreased by 9.09%, indicating that investor sentiment is improving significantly. Previous Next 4.2 Dividend Strength Dividend YieldEssential Utilities pays a meaningful dividend of 2.49%, higher than the bottom 25% of all stocks that pay dividends.Dividend GrowthEssential Utilities has been increasing its dividend for 31 years.Dividend CoverageThe dividend payout ratio of Essential Utilities is 64.41%. 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 60.32% next year. This indicates that Essential Utilities will be able to sustain or increase its 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 3.6 News and Social Media Coverage News SentimentEssential Utilities has a news sentiment score of 1.56. 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 0.42 average news sentiment score of Utilities companies.News Coverage This WeekMarketBeat has tracked 1 news article for Essential Utilities this week, compared to 3 articles on an average week.Search Interest9 people have searched for WTRG on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. MarketBeat Follows5 people have added Essential Utilities to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 67% 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 $410,538.00 in company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 0.17% of the stock of Essential Utilities is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions69.96% of the stock of Essential Utilities is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company. Previous Next 1.9 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for Essential Utilities are expected to grow by 6.18% in the coming year, from $1.78 to $1.89 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of Essential Utilities is 27.18, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 146.35.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of Essential Utilities is 27.18, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Utilities sector average P/E ratio of about 100.91.Price to Earnings Growth RatioEssential Utilities has a PEG Ratio of 3.97. 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 2.35. P/B Ratios below 3 indicates that a company is reasonably valued with respect to its assets and liabilities. Previous Next See Top Rated MarketRank™ Stocks Here About Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) StockEssential Utilities, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in providing water, wastewater and natural gas services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the Regulated Water and Regulated Natural Gas segments. The Regulated Water segment includes water and wastewater regulated utility companies. The Regulated Natural Gas segment consists of natural gas utility companies, which provides natural gas distribution services. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Bryn Mawr, PA.Read More 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 WTRG Stock News HeadlinesJanuary 19, 2023 | markets.businessinsider.comRBC Capital Keeps Their Buy Rating on Essential Utilities (WTRG)January 13, 2023 | seekingalpha.comEssential Utilities: Shares Remain Expensive After A Q4 BounceFebruary 2, 2023 | Investor Place Media (Ad)Cash Holders STILL Aren't Taking Steps to PrepareStocks are crashing... inflation is through the roof... multiple industries are getting hit hard... Americans are fearful of what might happen to their stock portfolios right now -- and who's to blame them? But former Wall Street money manager Louis Navellier says all it takes is being on the right side of this force driving the massive divide. Take action today and watch his exclusive presentation -- absolutely free of charge -- to see how you should be prepping for this phenomenon.January 11, 2023 | msn.comEssential Utilities reaffirms 2022 earnings outlook, guides 2023 EPS inlineJanuary 11, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Reaffirms 2022 Guidance, Announces 2023 and Long-term Guidance and Plans to Report Earnings for Full-year 2022January 11, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities’ Aqua Ohio Subsidiary Reaches Agreement to Purchase Union Rome Wastewater System from Lawrence CountyJanuary 10, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG), CEO Chris Franklin Interviewed by Advisor AccessJanuary 9, 2023 | msn.comThis Favorable Sign Appears On Essential Utilities's ChartFebruary 2, 2023 | Investor Place Media (Ad)Cash Holders STILL Aren't Taking Steps to PrepareStocks are crashing... inflation is through the roof... multiple industries are getting hit hard... Americans are fearful of what might happen to their stock portfolios right now -- and who's to blame them? But former Wall Street money manager Louis Navellier says all it takes is being on the right side of this force driving the massive divide. Take action today and watch his exclusive presentation -- absolutely free of charge -- to see how you should be prepping for this phenomenon.January 9, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comWith 79% ownership, Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) boasts of strong institutional backingJanuary 6, 2023 | seekingalpha.comArtesian Resources: Time To Lock In Gains After A Great RunJanuary 3, 2023 | finance.yahoo.comHope Gas announces agreement to purchase Peoples Gas WVDecember 31, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) Q3 2022 Earnings Call TranscriptDecember 24, 2022 | seekingalpha.comWTRG Essential Utilities, Inc.December 15, 2022 | msn.comThe 7 Hottest Water Stocks to Own for 2023 and BeyondDecember 12, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) shareholders have earned a 7.3% CAGR over the last five yearsDecember 7, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential declares March 2023 dividendDecember 6, 2022 | 247wallst.comThese Were the 5 Best and Worst Performing Utilities Stocks in November 2022November 29, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities’ Aqua Illinois Subsidiary Acquires Oak Brook Water AssetsNovember 25, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comIf EPS Growth Is Important To You, Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) Presents An OpportunityNovember 15, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comConsolidated Water (CWCO) Q3 Earnings Miss, Revenues BeatNovember 10, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Honored as Champion of Board Diversity by The Forum of Executive WomenNovember 9, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Third Quarter 2022 Earnings: Beats ExpectationsNovember 8, 2022 | nasdaq.comEssential Utilities (WTRG) Q3 Earnings & Sales Beat EstimatesNovember 8, 2022 | seekingalpha.comEssential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) Q3 2022 Earnings Call TranscriptNovember 8, 2022 | finance.yahoo.comEssential Utilities Announces Appointment of Two Seasoned Executive LeadersNovember 7, 2022 | msn.comEssential Utilities: Q3 Earnings InsightsSee More Headlines View Price History Chart DataSkip Price History Chart 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart 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 WTRG Company Calendar Last Earnings11/07/2022Ex-Dividend for 12/1 Dividend11/09/2022Dividend Payable12/01/2022Today2/01/2023Ex-Dividend for 3/1 Dividend2/09/2023Next Earnings (Confirmed)2/27/2023Dividend Payable3/01/2023Fiscal Year End12/31/2023Get Stock AlertsIndustry, Sector and Symbol Stock ExchangeNYSE Industry Water supply Sub-IndustryN/A SectorUtilities Current SymbolNYSE:WTRG CUSIPN/A CIK78128 Webwww.essential.co Phone(610) 527-8000Fax610-645-1061Employees3,211Year FoundedN/APrice Target and Rating Average Stock Price Forecast$51.86 High Stock Price Forecast$57.00 Low Stock Price Forecast$44.00 Forecasted Upside/Downside+7.8%Consensus RatingModerate Buy Rating Score (0-4)2.75 Research Coverage8 Analysts Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$1.77 Trailing P/E Ratio27.18 Forward P/E Ratio27.02 P/E Growth3.97Net Income$431.61 million Net Margins22.04% Pretax Margin20.89% Return on Equity8.84% Return on Assets3.12% Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio1.16 Current Ratio0.64 Quick Ratio0.37 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$2.12 billion Price / Sales5.96 Cash Flow$3.01 per share Price / Cash Flow15.97 Book Value$20.51 per share Price / Book2.35Miscellaneous Outstanding Shares262,291,000Free Float261,845,000Market Cap$12.62 billion OptionableOptionable Beta0.77 Key ExecutivesChristopher H. FranklinChairman, President & Chief Executive OfficerDan SchullerChief Financial Officer & Executive Vice PresidentSumit NairChief Information Officer & Vice PresidentChristopher Paul LuningExecutive Vice President & General CounselRobert A. RubinChief Accounting Officer, Senior VP & ControllerKey CompetitorsCompanhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESPNYSE:SBSAmerican States WaterNYSE:AWRCalifornia Water Service GroupNYSE:CWTAmerican Water WorksNYSE:AWKCentrais Elétricas Brasileiras S.A. - EletrobrásNYSE:EBRView All CompetitorsInsiders & InstitutionsBank of Montreal CanSold 276 shares on 2/1/2023Ownership: 0.071%Great Valley Advisor Group Inc.Sold 1,163 shares on 2/1/2023Ownership: 0.004%Conestoga Capital Advisors LLCBought 1,800 shares on 2/1/2023Ownership: 0.003%CWM LLCBought 1,580 shares on 2/1/2023Ownership: 0.002%Clearstead Trust LLCSold 706 shares on 2/1/2023Ownership: 0.001%View All Insider TransactionsView All Institutional Transactions WTRG Stock - Frequently Asked Questions Should I buy or sell Essential Utilities stock right now? 8 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Essential Utilities in the last year. There are currently 2 hold ratings and 6 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 forecast for 2023? 8 Wall Street analysts have issued 12 month price objectives for Essential Utilities' stock. Their WTRG share price forecasts range from $44.00 to $57.00. On average, they anticipate the company's share price to reach $51.86 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 7.8% 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 2023? Essential Utilities' stock was trading at $47.73 on January 1st, 2023. Since then, WTRG stock has increased by 0.8% and is now trading at $48.10. View the best growth stocks for 2023 here. When is Essential Utilities' next earnings date? The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Monday, February 27th 2023. View our WTRG earnings forecast. How can I listen to Essential Utilities' earnings call? Essential Utilities will be holding an earnings conference call on Monday, February 27th at 11:00 AM Eastern. Interested parties can register for or listen to the call using this link or dial in at 866-583-1035 with passcode "7366261". How were Essential Utilities' earnings last quarter? Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November, 7th. The company reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.03. The business earned $434.62 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $376 million. Essential Utilities had a net margin of 22.04% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 8.84%. How often does Essential Utilities pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Essential Utilities? Essential Utilities declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, December 7th. Investors of record on Friday, February 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.287 per share on Wednesday, March 1st. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.39%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 9th. Read our dividend analysis for WTRG. Is Essential Utilities a good dividend stock? Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) pays an annual dividend of $1.14 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.49%. The company has been increasing its dividend for 31 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio is 64.41%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, WTRG will have a dividend payout ratio of 60.32% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. Read our dividend analysis for WTRG. What guidance has Essential Utilities issued on next quarter's earnings? Essential Utilities updated its FY 2023 earnings guidance on Wednesday, January, 11th. The company provided EPS guidance of $1.85-$1.90 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $1.90. The company issued revenue guidance of -. What is Essential Utilities' stock symbol? Essential Utilities trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol "WTRG." Who are Essential Utilities' major shareholders? Essential Utilities' stock is owned by a number of institutional and retail investors. Top institutional investors include Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank (0.38%), Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. (0.25%), New York State Common Retirement Fund (0.20%), Gradient Investments LLC (0.12%), New York State Teachers Retirement System (0.11%) and DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale (0.10%). Insiders that own company stock include Chris Franklin, Daniel Schuller, Ellen T Ruff, Matthew Rhodes, Richard Scott Fox 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 WeBull, Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab. Compare Top Brokerages Here. What is Essential Utilities' stock price today? One share of WTRG stock can currently be purchased for approximately $48.10. How much money does Essential Utilities make? Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) has a market capitalization of $12.62 billion and generates $2.12 billion in revenue each year. The company earns $431.61 million in net income (profit) each year or $1.77 on an earnings per share basis. How many employees does Essential Utilities have? The company employs 3,211 workers across the globe. How can I contact Essential Utilities? Essential Utilities' mailing address is 762 W. LANCASTER AVENUE, BRYN MAWR PA, 19010. The official website for the company is www.essential.co. The company can be reached via phone at (610) 527-8000, via email at investorrelations@essential.co, or via fax at 610-645-1061. This page (NYSE:WTRG) was last updated on 2/2/2023 by MarketBeat.com Staff Get 30 Days of MarketBeat All Access Free Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring View the latest news, buy/sell ratings, SEC filings and insider transactions for your stocks. Compare your portfolio performance to leading indices and get personalized stock ideas based on your portfolio. Stock Ideas and Recommendations Get daily stock ideas from top-performing Wall Street analysts. Get short term trading ideas from the MarketBeat Idea Engine. 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