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Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG)

Utilities | Utilities - Regulated Water | Bryn Mawr, United States | NYSE
39.00 USD +0.28 (0.723%) ⇧ (April 17, 2026, 4 p.m. EDT)
After hours: 39.10 +0.10 (0.256%) ⇧ (April 17, 2026, 6:52 p.m. EDT)

Short-term: ★★★☆☆ | Long-term: ★★★★☆ | Dividends: ★★★★☆
Hot Take | April 11, 2026, 4:25 p.m. EDT

WTRG presents a balanced opportunity for short-term traders and long-term investors. The recent price movements show some volatility, but the stock is trading near its 52-week high, with a strong dividend yield and consistent payouts. The fundamentals are stable, and the recent news about strategic investments and merger progress could support future growth. While the forecasting model indicates minimal directional prediction, the options activity suggests cautious optimism. Investors looking for a reliable dividend and potential growth should consider this stock as a buy, especially if they can tolerate short-term fluctuations.

Model Selection — Backtest MAE (log-scale, lower is better)
ModelMAE
AutoTheta ✓0.030082
AutoETS0.030915
MSTL0.031856
AutoARIMA0.038178

Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoTheta

Forecast Reliability
Score 71%
H-stat 1.31
Ljung-Box p 0.000
Jarque-Bera p 0.122
Excess Kurtosis -0.60
Attribute Value
Sector Utilities
Ex Dividend Date 2026-05-11
Last Dividend Date 2026-02-08
Debt to Equity Ratio 121.56
Revenue per Share 8.836
Market Cap 11,048,844,288
Trailing P/E 17.73
Forward P/E 16.06
Beta 0.77
Profit Margins 24.91%
Website https://www.essential.co

As of April 11, 2026, 4:25 p.m. EDT: The options data suggests a mixed sentiment. Calls are showing significant interest in strikes around the current price (ATM) and higher levels, indicating potential bullish sentiment. However, puts are showing limited activity, with some interest in lower strikes, which could imply caution. The IV (implied volatility) is moderate, suggesting uncertainty about the short-term direction. The overall options activity appears to be in line with the recent price movements, but not strongly indicating a clear trend.


Dividend Data

Yield Summary
Last Yield 1yr Yield 3yr Avg 5yr Avg
0.93% 3.61% 3.56% 3.20%
Dividend History
Date Dividend Yield %
2026-02-09 0.343000 0.930296
2025-11-12 0.343000 0.885806
2025-08-12 0.343000 0.900486
2025-05-13 0.326000 0.894827
2025-02-10 0.326000 0.966394
2024-11-12 0.326000 0.872774
2024-08-12 0.326000 0.878635
2024-05-09 0.307000 0.841410
2024-02-08 0.307000 0.928334
2023-11-09 0.307000 0.979539
2023-08-10 0.307000 0.850684
2023-05-11 0.287000 0.747495
2023-02-09 0.287000 0.700239
2022-11-09 0.287000 0.729221
2022-08-11 0.287000 0.637715
2022-05-12 0.268000 0.690287
2022-02-10 0.268000 0.665248
2021-11-10 0.268000 0.645331
2021-08-12 0.268000 0.631929
2021-05-13 0.251000 0.629937
2021-02-11 0.251000 0.607523
2020-11-12 0.251000 0.652948
2020-08-13 0.251000 0.649112
2020-05-14 0.234000 0.701161
2020-02-13 0.234000 0.521566
2019-11-14 0.234000 0.643109
2019-08-15 0.234000 0.640517
2019-05-16 0.219000 0.676861
2019-02-14 0.219000 0.743507
2018-11-15 0.219000 0.809375
2018-08-16 0.219000 0.715029
2018-05-17 0.205000 0.762151
2018-02-15 0.205000 0.739228
2017-11-16 0.205000 0.698994
2017-08-14 0.205000 0.763615
2017-05-15 0.191000 0.759559
2017-02-13 0.191000 0.805762
2016-11-14 0.191000 0.843342
2016-08-16 0.191000 0.786451
2016-05-11 0.178000 0.706568
2016-02-10 0.178000 0.723499
2015-11-10 0.178000 0.808578
2015-08-12 0.178000 0.889254
2015-05-13 0.165000 0.844704
2015-02-11 0.165000 0.840927
2014-11-12 0.165000 0.840388
2014-08-13 0.165000 0.932635
2014-05-14 0.152000 0.835396
2014-02-13 0.152000 0.851176
2013-11-14 0.152000 0.839390
2013-08-14 0.152000 0.835066
2013-05-15 0.140000 0.745553
2013-02-13 0.140000 0.854255
2012-11-14 0.140000 1.005891
2012-08-15 0.132000 0.921298
2012-05-15 0.132000 1.051239
2012-02-15 0.132000 1.081087
2011-11-15 0.132000 1.087684
2011-08-15 0.124000 1.030389
2011-05-13 0.124000 0.999687
2011-02-15 0.124000 0.986096
2010-11-15 0.124000 1.076768
2010-08-13 0.116000 1.136349
2010-05-13 0.116000 1.221998
2010-02-11 0.116000 1.326370
2009-11-12 0.116000 1.419571
2009-08-13 0.108000 1.239862
2009-05-14 0.108000 1.260085
2009-02-12 0.108000 1.029922
2008-11-13 0.108000 1.067116
2008-08-14 0.100000 1.129701
2008-05-14 0.100000 1.178412
2008-02-13 0.100000 1.001404
2007-11-14 0.100000 0.915477
2007-08-15 0.100000 0.886437
2007-05-16 0.092000 0.859968
2007-02-13 0.092000 0.822395
2006-11-15 0.092000 0.790413
2006-08-16 0.092000 0.853602
2006-05-16 0.085600 0.795815
2006-02-13 0.085600 0.664282
2005-11-15 0.085800 0.724479
2005-08-16 0.078000 0.662591
2005-05-16 0.078000 0.832605
2005-02-10 0.078000 0.921135
2004-11-10 0.078000 0.987364
2004-08-12 0.072000 1.046555
2004-05-12 0.072000 1.079836
2004-02-11 0.072000 0.975242
2003-11-12 0.072000 1.100499
2003-08-13 0.067200 1.069470
2003-05-13 0.067200 1.088466
2003-02-12 0.067200 1.257458
2002-11-13 0.067200 1.218200
2002-08-14 0.063840 1.235450
2002-05-10 0.063840 1.025306
2002-02-08 0.063840 1.080612
2001-11-14 0.063744 1.056794
2001-08-15 0.059520 1.034043
2001-05-11 0.059520 1.220001
2001-02-12 0.059520 1.278173
2000-11-13 0.059597 1.535994
2000-08-11 0.055296 1.475096
2000-05-11 0.055296 1.459645
2000-02-11 0.055296 1.943372
1999-11-09 0.055296 1.533902
1999-08-13 0.055296 1.638354
1999-05-10 0.052224 1.467698
1999-02-08 0.052224 1.410830
1998-11-06 0.052224 1.297469
1998-08-13 0.052224 1.482902
1998-05-11 0.049766 1.597642
1998-02-11 0.049766 1.581344
1997-11-06 0.048845 1.876208
1997-08-15 0.048845 2.009769
1997-05-09 0.046541 2.198095
1997-02-10 0.046541 2.206469
1996-11-12 0.046541 2.551701
1996-08-13 0.046541 2.619246
1996-05-10 0.044544 2.797074
1996-02-09 0.044544 3.175940
1995-11-10 0.044544 3.450442
1995-08-11 0.044544 3.825459
1995-05-09 0.043008 3.675819
1995-02-07 0.043008 3.867378
1994-11-08 0.043008 3.929363
1994-08-09 0.043008 3.699988
1994-05-10 0.041472 3.851239
1994-02-09 0.041472 3.699961
1993-11-09 0.041472 3.703938
1993-08-11 0.041472 3.660021
1993-05-10 0.041472 4.109436
1993-02-09 0.039936 4.360539
1992-11-10 0.039936 4.466059
1992-08-12 0.039936 4.574995
1992-05-07 0.039936 5.133901
1992-02-11 0.039936 5.051919
1991-11-06 0.038400 4.741931
1991-08-12 0.038400 5.150063
1991-05-09 0.038400 5.330767
1991-02-05 0.038400 6.311834
1990-11-06 0.038400 6.509755
1990-08-09 0.038400 6.443331
1990-05-10 0.038400 6.085363
1990-02-07 0.038400 6.200183
1989-11-09 0.036096 5.772826
1989-08-09 0.036096 5.924762
1989-05-09 0.036096 6.314820
1989-02-07 0.036096 6.367116
1988-11-07 0.036096 6.360968
1988-08-11 0.036096 6.184252
1988-05-09 0.036096 6.018920
1988-02-09 0.036096 6.064147
1987-11-10 0.036096 6.323460
1987-08-12 0.036096 6.213376
1987-05-11 0.036096 5.873466
1987-02-09 0.036096 5.415290
Additional Data
dividendRate 1.37
dividendYield 3.51
exDividendDate 2026-05-12
trailingAnnualDividendRate 1.336
trailingAnnualDividendYield 0.03450413
lastDividendValue 0.343
lastDividendDate 2026-02-09
dividendDate 2026-06-01

Info Dump

Attribute Value
52 Week Change -0.029367864
Address1 762 W. Lancaster Avenue
All Time High 54.52
All Time Low 0.224489
Ask 39.38
Ask Size 100
Audit Risk 3
Average Analyst Rating 3.0 - Hold
Average Daily Volume10 Day 2,573,120
Average Daily Volume3 Month 2,548,569
Average Volume 2,548,569
Average Volume10Days 2,573,120
Beta 0.767
Bid 38.34
Bid Size 500
Board Risk 2
Book Value 24.224
City Bryn Mawr
Compensation As Of Epoch Date 1,767,139,200
Compensation Risk 9
Country United States
Crypto Tradeable 0
Currency USD
Current Price 39.0
Current Ratio 0.798
Custom Price Alert Confidence HIGH
Date Short Interest 1,774,915,200
Day High 39.03
Day Low 38.06
Debt To Equity 121.56
Display Name Essential Utilities
Dividend Date 1,780,272,000
Dividend Rate 1.37
Dividend Yield 3.51
Earnings Call Timestamp End 1,778,166,000
Earnings Call Timestamp Start 1,778,166,000
Earnings Growth -0.3
Earnings Quarterly Growth -0.282
Earnings Timestamp 1,778,157,000
Earnings Timestamp End 1,778,157,000
Earnings Timestamp Start 1,778,157,000
Ebitda 1,331,638,016
Ebitda Margins 0.53812003
Enterprise To Ebitda 14.526
Enterprise To Revenue 7.816
Enterprise Value 19,342,710,784
Eps Current Year 2.24976
Eps Forward 2.42833
Eps Trailing Twelve Months 2.2
Esg Populated 0
Ex Dividend Date 1,778,544,000
Exchange NYQ
Exchange Data Delayed By 0
Exchange Timezone Name America/New_York
Exchange Timezone Short Name EDT
Fifty Day Average 39.7776
Fifty Day Average Change -0.77759933
Fifty Day Average Change Percent -0.019548675
Fifty Two Week Change Percent -2.9367864
Fifty Two Week High 42.37
Fifty Two Week High Change -3.369999
Fifty Two Week High Change Percent -0.079537384
Fifty Two Week Low 36.32
Fifty Two Week Low Change 2.6800003
Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent 0.07378855
Fifty Two Week Range 36.32 - 42.37
Financial Currency USD
First Trade Date Milliseconds 322,151,400,000
Five Year Avg Dividend Yield 2.86
Float Shares 282,330,748
Forward Eps 2.42833
Forward P E 16.060421
Free Cashflow -762,487,232
Full Exchange Name NYSE
Full Time Employees 3,303
Gmt Off Set Milliseconds -14,400,000
Governance Epoch Date 1,775,001,600
Gross Margins 0.57609004
Gross Profits 1,425,592,064
Has Pre Post Market Data 1
Held Percent Insiders 0.00224
Held Percent Institutions 0.83091
Implied Shares Outstanding 283,303,697
Industry Utilities - Regulated Water
Industry Disp Utilities - Regulated Water
Industry Key utilities-regulated-water
Ir Website http://ir.aquaamerica.com/
Is Earnings Date Estimate 0
Language en-US
Last Dividend Date 1,770,595,200
Last Dividend Value 0.343
Last Fiscal Year End 1,767,139,200
Last Split Date 1,378,166,400
Last Split Factor 5:4
Long Business Summary Essential Utilities, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates regulated utilities that provide water, wastewater, and natural gas services in the United States. The company operates through Regulated Water; and Regulated Natural Gas segments. It also provides utility service line protection solutions and repair services to households; gas marketing and production activities; and natural gas distribution services. The company 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.
Long Name Essential Utilities, Inc.
Market us_market
Market Cap 11,048,844,288
Market State CLOSED
Max Age 86,400
Message Board Id finmb_296276
Most Recent Quarter 1,767,139,200
Net Income To Common 616,369,024
Next Fiscal Year End 1,798,675,200
Non Diluted Market Cap 11,048,844,183
Number Of Analyst Opinions 5
Open 38.32
Operating Cashflow 1,010,459,008
Operating Margins 0.32428002
Overall Risk 4
Payout Ratio 0.6074
Peg Ratio 3.71
Phone 610 527 8000
Post Market Change 0.099998474
Post Market Change Percent 0.25640634
Post Market Price 39.1
Post Market Time 1,776,466,330
Previous Close 38.72
Price Eps Current Year 17.335182
Price Hint 2
Price To Book 1.6099735
Price To Sales Trailing12 Months 4.464874
Profit Margins 0.24908
Quick Ratio 0.548
Quote Source Name Nasdaq Real Time Price
Quote Type EQUITY
Recommendation Key hold
Recommendation Mean 3.0
Region US
Regular Market Change 0.279999
Regular Market Change Percent 0.723137
Regular Market Day High 39.03
Regular Market Day Low 38.06
Regular Market Day Range 38.06 - 39.03
Regular Market Open 38.32
Regular Market Previous Close 38.72
Regular Market Price 39.0
Regular Market Time 1,776,456,003
Regular Market Volume 2,033,848
Return On Assets 0.030480001
Return On Equity 0.09442
Revenue Growth 0.157
Revenue Per Share 8.836
Sand P52 Week Change 0.38150132
Sector Utilities
Sector Disp Utilities
Sector Key utilities
Share Holder Rights Risk 4
Shares Outstanding 283,303,697
Shares Percent Shares Out 0.0179
Shares Short 5,066,077
Shares Short Previous Month Date 1,772,150,400
Shares Short Prior Month 7,835,006
Short Name Essential Utilities, Inc.
Short Percent Of Float 0.020499999
Short Ratio 2.56
Source Interval 15
State PA
Symbol WTRG
Target High Price 45.0
Target Low Price 38.0
Target Mean Price 40.6
Target Median Price 39.0
Total Cash 34,778,000
Total Cash Per Share 0.123
Total Debt 8,335,892,992
Total Revenue 2,474,615,040
Tradeable 0
Trailing Annual Dividend Rate 1.336
Trailing Annual Dividend Yield 0.03450413
Trailing Eps 2.2
Trailing P E 17.727272
Trailing Peg Ratio 3.7116
Triggerable 1
Two Hundred Day Average 39.0084
Two Hundred Day Average Change -0.008399963
Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent -0.00021533729
Type Disp Equity
Volume 2,033,848
Website https://www.essential.co
Zip 19,010-3489