# Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG)

> Source: Nexqual · https://nexqual.com/WTRG · data as of 2026-10-15 20:00 UTC · cite as "Nexqual, Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG), nexqual.com/WTRG" · informational, not investment advice.

**Price:** USD 40.29 (+1.10% on the day) · last close of Oct 15, 2026; US market closed, not a live price. Prev close 39.85 · day 40.01–40.93 · 52w 36.11–42.51 · market cap $11.4B · NYQ

## Key facts
- Last four reported quarters (through Jun 30, 2026): revenue $2.57B, net income $555M (21.6% margin) (SEC filings).
- Valuation: P/E 20.6x (avg 18.1x at the last 3 fiscal year-ends), EV/EBITDA 14.8x, net debt $8.45B.
- Insider open-market sales, last ~7 months: 1 Form 4 filings, $113K; 1 not under a Rule 10b5-1 plan ($113K).
- Analysts: Hold (mean 3.29 on a 1–5 scale) (7 analysts), mean target USD 42.2 (range 38–49).
- Total return with dividends: 1Y +1.1% vs S&P 500 +18.1%; 5Y -0.9% vs S&P 500 +85.1%.
- Next earnings: 2026-11-03, EPS estimate USD 0.34, revenue estimate $0K.

## Financials (SEC 10-K; TTM = last four 10-Q/10-K quarters)
| USD | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | TTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.88B | $2.29B | $2.05B | $2.09B | $2.47B | $2.57B |
| Operating income | $603M | $661M | $692M | $758M | $921M | $901M |
| Net income | $432M | $465M | $498M | $595M | $616M | $555M |
| EPS (diluted) | $1.67 | $1.77 | $1.86 | $2.17 | $2.20 | — |
| Operating margin | 32.1% | 28.9% | 33.7% | 36.3% | 37.2% | 35.1% |
| Net margin | 23.0% | 20.3% | 24.3% | 28.5% | 24.9% | 21.6% |
| Revenue growth | +28.4% | +21.8% | -10.2% | +1.6% | +18.6% | — |
| Cash + short-term investments | $10.6M | $11.4M | $4.6M | $9.2M | $34.8M | — |
| Total debt | $5.91B | $6.57B | $6.89B | $7.51B | $8.13B | — |
Fiscal years end Dec. EPS is split-adjusted.

## Valuation (price ÷ last four quarters, through Jun 30, 2026)
P/E 20.6x · P/S 4.5x · EV/EBITDA 14.8x · EV/Sales 7.7x · P/B 1.6x · Earnings yield 4.86% · Dividend yield (paid, TTM) 3.39% · Buyback yield (TTM) 0.03% · Net debt $8.45B · EV $19.9B
P/E at fiscal year-ends: Dec 2025 17.5x, Dec 2024 16.7x, Dec 2023 20.1x.

## Insider sales (SEC Form 4, open-market, last ~7 months)
0 of 1 under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan (scheduled in advance). Unplanned sales were timed by the insider.
| Trade date | Insider | Role | Shares | Value | % of holdings sold | 10b5-1 plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-07 | Arnold Colleen | President - Aqua | 2,855 | $113K | 14.1% | No |
% of holdings sold = shares sold ÷ (shares sold + all holdings the insider reported on that Form 4, direct and through trusts).

## Analysts
Consensus Hold (mean 3.29 on a 1–5 scale), 7 analysts; mean target USD 42.2 (low 38, high 49).
Rating changes, last 120 days:
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-10 | UBS | Target raised | Buy | $48 → $49 |
| 2026-07-15 | Barclays | Target raised | Underweight | $38 → $40 |
| 2026-07-02 | UBS | Target raised | Buy | $43 → $46 |

## Total return (dividends reinvested)
|  | 1Y (from 2025-10-16) | 5Y (from 2021-10-11) |
|---|---|---|
| Total return | +1.1% | -0.9% |
| S&P 500 (SPY) | +18.1% | +85.1% |
| Per year | +1.1% | -0.2% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 21.4% | 21.3% |
| Max drawdown | -12.2% (Mar 2026→Jun 2026) | -35.9% (Dec 2021→Oct 2023) |

## Peers (Utilities - Regulated Water)
SBS (Companhia de saneamento Basico ) USD 6.26 -2.95% · AWK (American Water Works Company, I) USD 133.04 +2.30% · AWR (American States Water Company) USD 82.74 +0.28% · CWT (California Water Service Group) USD 46.05 -0.20% · HTO (H2O America) USD 57.3 -2.03% · MSEX (Middlesex Water Company) USD 53.91 +0.20%

## More
Full page: https://nexqual.com/WTRG · Free keyless MCP server with the same data and citations: https://mcp.nexqual.com/mcp · Guide for agents: https://nexqual.com/agents · https://nexqual.com/llms.txt