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Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG)

Utilities | Utilities - Regulated Water | Bryn Mawr, United States | NYSE
38.59 USD +0.01 (0.026%) ⇧ (July 13, 2026, 4 p.m. EDT)
Short-term:★★⯪☆☆Long-term:★★⯪☆☆Dividends:★★★☆☆
Hot Take ↕ | July 11, 2026, 5:37 a.m. EDT

Essential Utilities presents a classic defensive dilemma: a reliable income stream masking deteriorating operational momentum. The dividend is a genuine strength, having grown consistently over the last five years with a payout ratio of roughly 69%, offering a yield that comfortably beats inflation. However, the business itself is struggling; the company missed its latest earnings estimates, and the price trajectory shows a distinct lack of resilience, having failed to recover from previous lows despite a modest overall gain over the last decade. The market is pricing in stagnation, evidenced by the heavy put buying and the stock trading below its 200-day moving average. While the yield makes it attractive for income-focused investors seeking safety, the lack of capital appreciation potential and the recent earnings miss suggest this is a 'hold' for now rather than a compelling entry for new capital.
Model Selection — Backtest MAE (log-scale, lower is better)
ModelMAE
MSTL_115 ✓0.021102
MSTL_84_1150.026212
MSTL_840.029549
AutoTheta0.038620
MSTL0.039871
AutoARIMA0.042034
AutoETS0.042034

Forecast horizon: 60 days | Selected: MSTL_115

Forecast Reliability
Score 56%
H-stat 0.74
Ljung-Box p 0.000
Jarque-Bera p 0.147
Excess Kurtosis -0.33
Attribute Value
Sector Utilities
Ex Dividend Date 2026-05-11
Last Dividend Date 2026-05-11
Debt to Equity Ratio 122.667
Revenue per Share 9.051
Market Cap 10,945,396,736
Trailing P/E 19.69
Forward P/E 16.22
Beta 0.64
Profit Margins 21.82%
Website https://www.essential.co

As of July 11, 2026, 5:37 a.m. EDT: Speculators are positioning defensively with heavy out-of-the-money put volume relative to calls, particularly at the $35 strike, while call interest is concentrated further out at $45. Implied volatility is significantly elevated for near-term puts compared to calls, suggesting a fear of a downside gap rather than a bullish breakout.

Dividend Data

Yield Summary
Last Yield 1yr Yield 3yr Avg 5yr Avg
0.90% 3.60% 3.47% 3.05%
Dividend History
Date Dividend Yield %
2026-05-12 0.343000 0.903107
2026-02-09 0.343000 0.930296
2025-11-12 0.343000 0.877687
2025-08-12 0.343000 0.884477
2025-05-13 0.326000 0.871192
2025-02-10 0.326000 0.933028
2024-11-12 0.326000 0.834827
2024-08-12 0.326000 0.833546
2024-05-09 0.307000 0.791645
2024-02-08 0.307000 0.866497
2023-11-09 0.307000 0.906407
2023-08-10 0.307000 0.780178
2023-05-11 0.287000 0.680256
2023-02-09 0.287000 0.632995
2022-11-09 0.287000 0.655102
2022-08-11 0.287000 0.569219
2022-05-12 0.268000 0.612711
2022-02-10 0.268000 0.586819
2021-11-10 0.268000 0.565998
2021-08-12 0.268000 0.551100
2021-05-13 0.251000 0.546365
2021-02-11 0.251000 0.524008
2020-11-12 0.251000 0.560268
2020-08-13 0.251000 0.553962
2020-05-14 0.234000 0.595117
2020-02-13 0.234000 0.440015
2019-11-14 0.234000 0.540166
2019-08-15 0.234000 0.535102
2019-05-16 0.219000 0.562404
2019-02-14 0.219000 0.614306
2018-11-15 0.219000 0.664643
2018-08-16 0.219000 0.583222
2018-05-17 0.205000 0.618028
2018-02-15 0.205000 0.595757
2017-11-16 0.205000 0.559956
2017-08-14 0.205000 0.608309
2017-05-15 0.191000 0.601385
2017-02-13 0.191000 0.634130
2016-11-14 0.191000 0.659530
2016-08-16 0.191000 0.611004
2016-05-11 0.178000 0.545678
2016-02-10 0.178000 0.555729
2015-11-10 0.178000 0.617627
2015-08-12 0.178000 0.675009
2015-05-13 0.165000 0.636820
2015-02-11 0.165000 0.630011
2014-11-12 0.165000 0.625711
2014-08-13 0.165000 0.690088
2014-05-14 0.152000 0.613893
2014-02-13 0.152000 0.621677
2013-11-14 0.152000 0.609218
2013-08-14 0.152000 0.602410
2013-05-15 0.140000 0.534678
2013-02-13 0.140000 0.609331
2012-11-14 0.140000 0.713121
2012-08-15 0.132000 0.648585
2012-05-15 0.132000 0.735294
2012-02-15 0.132000 0.750682
2011-11-15 0.132000 0.749659
2011-08-15 0.124000 0.704866
2011-05-13 0.124000 0.678931
2011-02-15 0.124000 0.665236
2010-11-15 0.124000 0.721601
2010-08-13 0.116000 0.755996
2010-05-13 0.116000 0.806900
2010-02-11 0.116000 0.868784
2009-11-12 0.116000 0.921805
2009-08-13 0.108000 0.797872
2009-05-14 0.108000 0.804529
2009-02-12 0.108000 0.652489
2008-11-13 0.108000 0.671642
2008-08-14 0.100000 0.705816
2008-05-14 0.100000 0.730994
2008-02-13 0.100000 0.616675
2007-11-14 0.100000 0.560287
2007-08-15 0.100000 0.539491
2007-05-16 0.092000 0.520598
2007-02-13 0.092000 0.495263
2006-11-15 0.092000 0.473641
2006-08-16 0.092000 0.509075
2006-05-16 0.085600 0.472198
2006-02-13 0.085600 0.392229
2005-11-15 0.085800 0.426103
2005-08-16 0.078000 0.388060
2005-05-16 0.078000 0.485800
2005-02-10 0.078000 0.534759
2004-11-10 0.078000 0.570175
2004-08-12 0.072000 0.600901
2004-05-12 0.072000 0.616333
2004-02-11 0.072000 0.553250
2003-11-12 0.072000 0.620861
2003-08-13 0.067200 0.599572
2003-05-13 0.067200 0.606586
2003-02-12 0.067200 0.696517
2002-11-13 0.067200 0.670177
2002-08-14 0.063840 0.675127
2002-05-10 0.063840 0.556485
2002-02-08 0.063840 0.583333
2001-11-14 0.063744 0.567134
2001-08-15 0.059520 0.551798
2001-05-11 0.059520 0.647452
2001-02-12 0.059520 0.673913
2000-11-13 0.059597 0.804148
2000-08-11 0.055296 0.765957
2000-05-11 0.055296 0.751958
2000-02-11 0.055296 0.993103
1999-11-09 0.055296 0.776280
1999-08-13 0.055296 0.822857
1999-05-10 0.052224 0.731183
1999-02-08 0.052224 0.697436
1998-11-06 0.052224 0.637002
1998-08-13 0.052224 0.723404
1998-05-11 0.049766 0.773725
1998-02-11 0.049766 0.760111
1997-11-06 0.048845 0.894990
1997-08-15 0.048845 0.950144
1997-05-09 0.046541 1.029304
1997-02-10 0.046541 1.022789
1996-11-12 0.046541 1.171020
1996-08-13 0.046541 1.188240
1996-05-10 0.044544 1.254054
1996-02-09 0.044544 1.406061
1995-11-10 0.044544 1.506494
1995-08-11 0.044544 1.645390
1995-05-09 0.043008 1.555556
1995-02-07 0.043008 1.611511
1994-11-08 0.043008 1.611511
1994-08-09 0.043008 1.493333
1994-05-10 0.041472 1.531915
1994-02-09 0.041472 1.449664
1993-11-09 0.041472 1.430464
1993-08-11 0.041472 1.393548
1993-05-10 0.041472 1.542857
1993-02-09 0.039936 1.612403
1992-11-10 0.039936 1.625000
1992-08-12 0.039936 1.637795
1992-05-07 0.039936 1.808696
1992-02-11 0.039936 1.747899
1991-11-06 0.038400 1.612903
1991-08-12 0.038400 1.724138
1991-05-09 0.038400 1.754386
1991-02-05 0.038400 2.040816
1990-11-06 0.038400 2.061856
1990-08-09 0.038400 2.000000
1990-05-10 0.038400 1.851852
1990-02-07 0.038400 1.851852
1989-11-09 0.036096 1.693694
1989-08-09 0.036096 1.709091
1989-05-09 0.036096 1.790476
1989-02-07 0.036096 1.773585
1988-11-07 0.036096 1.740741
1988-08-11 0.036096 1.663717
1988-05-09 0.036096 1.593220
1988-02-09 0.036096 1.579832
1987-11-10 0.036096 1.620690
1987-08-12 0.036096 1.566667
1987-05-11 0.036096 1.457364
1987-02-09 0.036096 1.323944
Additional Data
dividendRate 1.37
dividendYield 3.55
exDividendDate 2026-05-12
trailingAnnualDividendRate 1.353
trailingAnnualDividendYield 0.035069983
lastDividendValue 0.343
lastDividendDate 2026-05-12
dividendDate 2026-06-01

Info Dump

Attribute Value
52 Week Change 0.019286633
Address1 762 W. Lancaster Avenue
All Time High 54.52
All Time Low 0.224489
Ask 40.8
Ask Size 300
Audit Risk 2
Average Analyst Rating 2.6 - Hold
Average Daily Volume10 Day 2,397,100
Average Daily Volume3 Month 2,096,398
Average Volume 2,096,398
Average Volume10Days 2,397,100
Beta 0.64
Bid 0.0
Bid Size 900
Board Risk 3
Book Value 24.327
City Bryn Mawr
Compensation As Of Epoch Date 1,767,139,200
Compensation Risk 1
Country United States
Crypto Tradeable 0
Currency USD
Current Price 38.59
Current Ratio 0.951
Custom Price Alert Confidence HIGH
Date Short Interest 1,782,777,600
Day High 39.36
Day Low 38.545
Debt To Equity 122.667
Display Name Essential Utilities
Dividend Date 1,780,272,000
Dividend Rate 1.37
Dividend Yield 3.55
Earnings Call Timestamp End 1,778,166,000
Earnings Call Timestamp Start 1,778,166,000
Earnings Growth -0.233
Earnings Quarterly Growth -0.209
Earnings Timestamp 1,778,157,000
Earnings Timestamp End 1,785,441,600
Earnings Timestamp Start 1,785,441,600
Ebitda 1,320,881,024
Ebitda Margins 0.51743
Enterprise To Ebitda 14.631
Enterprise To Revenue 7.57
Enterprise Value 19,325,153,280
Eps Current Year 2.24394
Eps Forward 2.37881
Eps Trailing Twelve Months 1.96
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 37.6194
Fifty Day Average Change 0.9706001
Fifty Day Average Change Percent 0.02580052
Fifty Two Week Change Percent 1.9286633
Fifty Two Week High 42.37
Fifty Two Week High Change -3.7799988
Fifty Two Week High Change Percent -0.08921404
Fifty Two Week Low 36.11
Fifty Two Week Low Change 2.4799995
Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent 0.06867902
Fifty Two Week Range 36.11 - 42.37
Financial Currency USD
First Trade Date Milliseconds 322,151,400,000
Five Year Avg Dividend Yield 2.91
Float Shares 282,682,813
Forward Eps 2.37881
Forward P E 16.222397
Free Cashflow -649,184,640
Full Exchange Name NYSE
Full Time Employees 3,303
Gmt Off Set Milliseconds -14,400,000
Governance Epoch Date 1,782,864,000
Gross Margins 0.55524
Gross Profits 1,417,382,016
Has Pre Post Market Data 1
Held Percent Insiders 0.0022200001
Held Percent Institutions 0.80525
Implied Shares Outstanding 283,632,983
Industry Utilities - Regulated Water
Industry Disp Utilities - Regulated Water
Industry Key utilities-regulated-water
Ir Website http://ir.aquaamerica.com/
Is Earnings Date Estimate 1
Language en-US
Last Dividend Date 1,778,544,000
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 10,945,396,736
Market State PRE
Max Age 86,400
Message Board Id finmb_296276
Most Recent Quarter 1,774,915,200
Net Income To Common 556,972,032
Next Fiscal Year End 1,798,675,200
Non Diluted Market Cap 10,942,560,484
Number Of Analyst Opinions 5
Open 38.73
Operating Cashflow 976,347,008
Operating Margins 0.36077
Overall Risk 2
Payout Ratio 0.6905
Peg Ratio 3.67
Phone 610 527 8000
Pre Market Change 0.3260002
Pre Market Change Percent 0.844779
Pre Market Price 38.916
Pre Market Time 1,784,025,483
Previous Close 38.58
Price Eps Current Year 17.19743
Price Hint 2
Price To Book 1.5863034
Price To Sales Trailing12 Months 4.2876916
Profit Margins 0.21819
Quick Ratio 0.756
Quote Source Name Delayed Quote
Quote Type EQUITY
Recommendation Key hold
Recommendation Mean 2.57143
Region US
Regular Market Change 0.00999832
Regular Market Change Percent 0.0259158
Regular Market Day High 39.36
Regular Market Day Low 38.545
Regular Market Day Range 38.545 - 39.36
Regular Market Open 38.73
Regular Market Previous Close 38.58
Regular Market Price 38.59
Regular Market Time 1,783,972,803
Regular Market Volume 1,230,650
Return On Assets 0.029260002
Return On Equity 0.08342
Revenue Growth 0.1
Revenue Per Share 9.051
Sand P52 Week Change 0.20847368
Sector Utilities
Sector Disp Utilities
Sector Key utilities
Share Holder Rights Risk 4
Shares Outstanding 283,632,983
Shares Percent Shares Out 0.016900001
Shares Short 4,791,565
Shares Short Previous Month Date 1,780,012,800
Shares Short Prior Month 4,109,891
Short Name Essential Utilities, Inc.
Short Percent Of Float 0.0194
Short Ratio 2.2
Source Interval 15
State PA
Symbol WTRG
Target High Price 46.0
Target Low Price 38.0
Target Mean Price 41.2
Target Median Price 41.0
Total Cash 75,926,000
Total Cash Per Share 0.268
Total Debt 8,455,683,072
Total Revenue 2,552,748,032
Tradeable 0
Trailing Annual Dividend Rate 1.353
Trailing Annual Dividend Yield 0.035069983
Trailing Eps 1.96
Trailing P E 19.688776
Trailing Peg Ratio 3.6717
Triggerable 1
Two Hundred Day Average 38.94255
Two Hundred Day Average Change -0.3525505
Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent -0.009053092
Type Disp Equity
Volume 1,230,650
Website https://www.essential.co
Zip 19,010-3489