Zacks Research Issues Optimistic Forecast for WTRG Earnings

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) – Analysts at Zacks Research raised their Q4 2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Essential Utilities in a report released on Thursday, December 19th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now anticipates that the company will post earnings per share of $0.51 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.50. The consensus estimate for Essential Utilities’ current full-year earnings is $2.01 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Essential Utilities’ Q4 2025 earnings at $0.64 EPS.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Essential Utilities in a report on Friday, September 20th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Essential Utilities from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $44.00 to $41.00 in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $43.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Essential Utilities presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.00.

Essential Utilities Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE:WTRG opened at $36.36 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $39.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $38.93. Essential Utilities has a fifty-two week low of $33.57 and a fifty-two week high of $41.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.55. The firm has a market cap of $9.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.18, a P/E/G ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.85.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $435.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $416.95 million. Essential Utilities had a net margin of 27.84% and a return on equity of 7.89%. The firm’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.30 EPS.

Institutional Trading of Essential Utilities

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WTRG. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 4,309.4% in the 3rd quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 1,255,483 shares of the company’s stock valued at $48,424,000 after acquiring an additional 1,227,010 shares during the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp grew its stake in shares of Essential Utilities by 117.3% during the third quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 1,962,692 shares of the company’s stock valued at $75,701,000 after buying an additional 1,059,320 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. bought a new position in Essential Utilities in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,842,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in Essential Utilities by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,500,150 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,002,000 after buying an additional 234,857 shares during the period. Finally, Weiss Asset Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Essential Utilities during the third quarter worth approximately $7,301,000. 74.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Essential Utilities Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th will be given a $0.3255 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.58%. Essential Utilities’s dividend payout ratio is currently 65.00%.

About Essential Utilities

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.