What is Zacks Research’s Estimate for WTRG FY2025 Earnings?

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) – Zacks Research raised their FY2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Essential Utilities in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, October 16th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now expects that the company will post earnings per share of $2.11 for the year, up from their previous estimate of $2.10. The consensus estimate for Essential Utilities’ current full-year earnings is $1.99 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Essential Utilities’ Q2 2026 earnings at $0.44 EPS and Q3 2026 earnings at $0.36 EPS.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.30 by ($0.02). Essential Utilities had a return on equity of 8.16% and a net margin of 28.74%. The company had revenue of $434.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $442.76 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.34 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on WTRG. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Essential Utilities from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Evercore ISI increased their target price on Essential Utilities from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Essential Utilities from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Essential Utilities in a report on Monday, October 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $44.00 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 price objective on shares of Essential Utilities in a research note on Friday, September 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Essential Utilities currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.80.

Essential Utilities Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE:WTRG opened at $40.55 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $11.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.78, a P/E/G ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 0.84. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $39.02 and its 200-day moving average is $38.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a current ratio of 0.58. Essential Utilities has a 52-week low of $32.42 and a 52-week high of $41.78.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Essential Utilities by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 27,992,080 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,045,504,000 after buying an additional 823,495 shares during the period. CWM LLC increased its position in Essential Utilities by 6.4% in the first quarter. CWM LLC now owns 10,604 shares of the company’s stock worth $393,000 after purchasing an additional 640 shares during the period. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV raised its holdings in Essential Utilities by 112.8% during the 1st quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 1,513 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 802 shares during the last quarter. First Affirmative Financial Network lifted its position in Essential Utilities by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. First Affirmative Financial Network now owns 7,910 shares of the company’s stock valued at $293,000 after purchasing an additional 386 shares during the period. Finally, Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Essential Utilities by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 193,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,182,000 after purchasing an additional 6,916 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 74.78% of the company’s stock.

Essential Utilities Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a dividend of $0.3255 per share. This is a boost from Essential Utilities’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.21%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 12th. Essential Utilities’s dividend payout ratio is 63.41%.

Essential Utilities Company Profile

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.