# Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. NYSE, United States. Sector: Utilities / Water Utilities. Price $41.70, market value $11.8 billion.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 21.4×** (5-yr avg 20.7×, 3-yr avg 17.1×). Essential Utilities Inc. trades at 21.4× trailing earnings, close to its own five-year average of 20.7×. The Utilities median in the September 2026 study was 21.2×. Forward P/E is 17.5×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **PEG: 12.68**. A PEG of 12.68 means the P/E is high relative to expected earnings growth; the price already assumes a lot.
- **Price / sales: 4.6×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 4.6×.
- **Price / book: 1.7×**. The shares trade at 1.7× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 14.9×**. Enterprise value is 14.9× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed.
- **Earnings yield: 4.7%**. The inverse of the P/E: 4.7% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Operating margin: 35.1%**. 35.1% of revenue is left after running the business, an exceptional level.
- **Net margin: 24.9%**. 24.9% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 9.0%**. 9.0% on shareholders' equity is weak; the business earns little on the capital its owners have in it.
- **Return on invested capital: 4.8%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 4.8%: close to or below the cost of capital, so growth may not create value.
- **Return on assets: 2.9%**. Each dollar of assets produces 2.9% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 18.6%** (3-yr 2.6%/yr, 5-yr 11.1%/yr). Revenue grew 18.6% over the last year, against 11.1% a year compounded over five years: growth is accelerating.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): 1.4%** (3-yr 7.5%/yr, 5-yr 14.5%/yr). Earnings per share rose 1.4%, slower than revenue, so margins compressed.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 1.19**. Debt is 1.19 times equity, a leveraged balance sheet, which is normal for utilities.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: 6.0×**. It would take 6.0 years of operating earnings to repay net borrowings, above the 3× level most lenders treat as comfortable.
- **Piotroski F-score: 4/9**. 4 of 9 checks pass: mixed.

## Dividends
- **Dividend yield: 3.46%** ($1.37 per share, trailing). Essential Utilities Inc. yields 3.46%, a modest yield more typical of a growth-oriented payer.
- **Payout ratio: 61%**. 61% of earnings goes out as dividends, leaving room to keep raising it.
- **Consecutive years of increases: 26**. 26 straight years of increases (the data covers 26 years, so this may be longer): a record very few companies hold.
- **Dividend growth (5 yr): 6.6%/yr** (1-yr 5.7%). The dividend has grown 6.6% a year over five years.

## Analyst view
- **Analyst consensus: hold** (5 analysts). 5 analysts cover Essential Utilities Inc.; the consensus is hold, with an average price target of $42.00 (+1% from the current price). Analyst opinion is shown for context; it is not part of the Fundamental Score.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): 9.9%** (YTD 10.7%, 3-mo 11.6%). The shares are up 9.9% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -1.6%** (15.5% above the low). Trading within 5% of its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: above**. The price sits above its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of an uptrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 62**. An RSI of 62 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): -0.34** (volatility 22%). Beta of -0.34 against the S&P 500: the shares move much less than the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=WTRG · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/wtrg

Not investment advice.