Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE:WTRG – Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the nine ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $43.00.
WTRG has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Essential Utilities in a research report on Friday, May 22nd. Wall Street Zen upgraded Essential Utilities to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, July 4th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Essential Utilities from $43.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Essential Utilities from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th.
Read Our Latest Analysis on WTRG
Insider Transactions at Essential Utilities
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Essential Utilities
Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. 49 Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Essential Utilities in the 2nd quarter valued at about $207,000. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Essential Utilities during the second quarter worth about $43,000. Mint Tower Capital Management B.V. acquired a new position in shares of Essential Utilities during the second quarter worth about $128,000. Glenview Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities during the second quarter worth approximately $317,000. Finally, United Capital Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities during the second quarter worth approximately $614,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.78% of the company’s stock.
Essential Utilities Price Performance
Shares of WTRG opened at $40.40 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $38.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $38.93. The stock has a market cap of $11.46 billion, a PE ratio of 20.61 and a beta of 0.64. Essential Utilities has a 1-year low of $36.10 and a 1-year high of $42.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.62.
Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $530.85 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $538.90 million. Essential Utilities had a net margin of 21.60% and a return on equity of 8.23%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.38 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Essential Utilities will post 2.21 EPS for the current year.
Essential Utilities Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be paid a $0.3606 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 11th. This is an increase from Essential Utilities’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.34. This represents a $1.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.6%. Essential Utilities’s payout ratio is 73.47%.
Essential Utilities Company Profile
Essential Utilities, Inc, formerly known as Aqua America, is a publicly traded water and natural gas utility holding company. Through its regulated water and wastewater subsidiaries, the company provides essential water services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. In addition, Essential Utilities delivers natural gas distribution services in Pennsylvania through its Peoples Gas subsidiary, offering integrated utility solutions under a unified corporate framework.
The company traces its roots to the Philadelphia Suburban Water Company, founded in 1886 to serve growing communities outside Philadelphia.
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