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WTRG·Essential Utilities Inc.

$38.80
+0.13 (+0.34%)
After Hours
High
$39.05
Open
$38.78
Market Cap
11.00B
52W High
$42.69
Low
$38.47
P. Close
$38.80
P/E
19.83
52W Low
$36.10
Fwd P/E
16.25
DailyIQ Est.
$42.80
Inst. Ownership
-
Short Interest
2.66%
Days to Cover
2.8
Technical Score (1D)
9
BEARISH
News Sentiment
54
MIXED
On Oct 5, 2026, Essential Utilities Inc. announced a $94,500 donation to 38 volunteer fire departments across its nine‑state footprint through its Essential Foundation. The contribution was part of the company’s Fire Prevention Week observance and was intended to support hydrant readiness and mandatory gas‑fire safety training. The donation underscored WTRG’s mandate to support public safety infrastructure and community relations. No financial obligation or mandate obliges the company beyond the charitable contribution. The move was viewed as a positive goodwill gesture that may enhance local stakeholder sentiment.
LOW TARGET
$38 -2.1%
2 analysts
MEAN TARGET
$42 +8.7%
6 analysts
HIGH TARGET
$49 +26.3%
6 analysts
PRICE RANGE
$38.00 - $49.00
SB / B / H / S / SS
3/5/4/1/1
DAILYIQ EST.
$42.80 (+10.3%)
Bought (1Y)
0 shares
$0
Sold (1Y)
2,855 shares
$113K
Arnold ColleenPresident - Aqua
Sell2,855 shares2026-08-07
Bruner Christopher L-
Award/Grant3,666 shares2026-06-23
Linde Tamara Louise-
Award/Grant3,666 shares2026-06-23
Lewis Wilbert Bryan-
Award/Grant3,666 shares2026-06-23
Ciesinski David Alan-
Award/Grant3,666 shares2026-06-23
81/ 100
Bullish
Overall: Bullish
✓Revenue growing year over year
✓Positive net margin
✓Positive operating cash flow
Net Margin
26.9%
Revenue CAGR
9.8%
Current Ratio
0.80x
Debt / Equity
1.19x
Return on Equity
9.0%

EPS

EstBeatMiss
$0.28$0.29$0.31$0.33$0.35Q3'25Q3'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q3'26$0.34 - -
Q3'25$0.28$0.33+15.9%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss
$462M$495M$528M$561M$594MQ3'25Q3'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q3'26$579M - -
Q3'25 - $477M -

Market Data

WTRG Stock Snapshot

BEARISH9/100
$38.81+$0.01 (0.0%)
Market cap
11.00B
P/E ratio
19.8
Day range
$38.47 – $39.05
News sentiment
54/100 · Neutral
Analyst target
$42.20 (+8.7%)
Consensus
Buy · 14 analysts
52-week range+7.5% off low · -9.1% from high
$36.10$42.69
Price $38.81 DailyIQ Est. $42.80

Essential Utilities Inc. is trading in the lower half of its 52-week range with momentum still pointing lower. The stock is liquid enough that positioning changes get absorbed without distorting the trend.

Behaviour On Record

What WTRG's own history says about today's numbers

Realized volatility (21d)
15.2% 21st pct
Below its peak
-28.5%
vs 200-day average
-1.3%
Up days (1y)
45%

Essential Utilities Inc. is currently running 15.2% annualised volatility over the last 21 sessions. Measured against WTRG's own 13 years of daily returns rather than a market-wide average, that is the 21st percentile — unusually subdued by its own history, against a typical reading of 19.5%. The distinction matters because a number that looks calm for one stock is turbulent for another, and the absolute figure on its own tells you neither.

WTRG is trading -28.5% below its running peak. Across 12 full years on file, its median worst-drawdown-in-a-year was -14.4%, and the deepest was -39.9% in 2020. The current drawdown is already deeper than this stock's typical annual low point, which puts it in the part of its range where past recoveries began — and where past declines also continued.

Price sits -1.3% from its 200-day moving average. Against every other day in its history, that gap ranks at the 35th percentile — close to the gap it normally carries. Over the past year WTRG closed higher on 45% of sessions, and it is currently 1 session into a falling streak.

On October specifically: over 13 years of records, WTRG finished the month higher 11 of 13 times, with a median return of +1.5% and an average of +2.0%. Its strongest month historically has been November at +3.0% on average, its weakest September at -3.4%. Seasonality is a weak signal on its own — a decade is a small sample and regimes change — but it is a real distribution rather than a rule of thumb.

Overnight risk is measurable too: WTRG has opened more than 2% away from the prior close in 96 of 3,267 sessions (2.9% of the time), with the largest gaps running +8.2% and -8.5%. For anyone holding through an event, that rate is a better guide to overnight exposure than the intraday range.

All figures computed from 3,268 daily closes between 2013-10-07 and 2026-10-05, split-adjusted, recomputed daily. Percentiles are against WTRG's own 13-year history, not a peer group or index.

Sector Rotation

Is money rotating into or out of WTRG's sector?

Essential Utilities Inc. sits in the Utilities sector, currently ranked 9th of 12 GICS sectors by relative-strength rotation score (improving).

Sector rank
#9 of 12
Sector state
Improving
Sector rotation score
73

Options Market

What is the options market pricing for WTRG?

CallsPuts

For Essential Utilities Inc.'s nearest expiry (2026-10-16, 10 days out), open interest is call-heavy, a bullish tilt (put/call ratio of 0.48), with at-the-money implied volatility around 53.9%. The options market is pricing roughly a ±8.0% move by that expiry — a range of about $35.83–$42.03.

Put/call ratio (2026-10-16)
0.48
ATM implied volatility
53.9%
Total open interest
117
Expected move by 2026-10-16
±8.0% ($35.83–$42.03)

Analyst Rating Changes

Are analysts turning bullish or bearish on WTRG?

UBS most recently reiterated its rating on Essential Utilities Inc. to Buy on Sep 10, 2026 with a price target of $49 (from $48). Over the last 90 days, coverage has run 0 upgrades against 0 downgrades, a net mixed lean.

Latest action
UBS — Buy
90-day upgrades
0
90-day downgrades
0
Net rating momentum
0
DateFirmActionRatingPrice target
Sep 10, 2026UBSMaintainedBuy$48 → $49
Jul 15, 2026BarclaysMaintainedUnderweight$38 → $40
Jul 2, 2026UBSMaintainedBuy$43 → $46
May 29, 2026UBSUpgradeNeutral → Buy$41 → $43
Dec 17, 2025BarclaysDowngradeOverweight → Underweight$43 → $38
Oct 28, 2025JefferiesDowngradeBuy → Hold$47 → $44
Oct 28, 2025UBSDowngradeBuy → Neutral$46 → $45
Oct 27, 2025Janney Montgomery ScottDowngradeBuy → Neutral-
Oct 10, 2025BarclaysMaintainedOverweight$42 → $43
Oct 10, 2025JefferiesMaintainedBuy$43 → $47
Oct 2, 2025BarclaysInitiatedOverweight$42
Aug 15, 2025UBSMaintainedBuy$42 → $47

News Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment gathered from recent headlines

54/100
Strong NegativeNeutralStrong Positive
MIXED

Recent News Coverage

Most recent articles, ranked by recency (click to expand).

10+ articles
What did this article say?
On October 5, 2026, Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) announced a $94,500 donation to 38 volunteer fire departments across its nine‑state footprint through its Essential Foundation. The contribution was part of the company’s Fire Prevention Week observance, highlighting mandatory hydrant readiness and mandatory gas‑fire safety training. The donation underscores WTRG’s mandate to support public safety infrastructure and community relations. No financial obligation or mandate obliges the company beyond the charitable contribution. The move is viewed as a positive goodwill gesture that may enhance local stakeholder sentiment.
What did this article say?
On October 2, Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) announced that its subsidiary Aqua Pennsylvania acquired the water system assets of the Ulster Municipal Authority in Bradford County for $0.5 million. The deal adds 180 new water customers to Aqua Pennsylvania’s portfolio and is expected to increase the company’s rate base modestly. Aqua Pennsylvania plans to invest $2 million over five years to upgrade the acquired infrastructure, modernizing lines and improving service quality. The acquisition aligns with WTRG’s strategy of growth through targeted purchases, adding to a portfolio that has expanded by over 138,000 customers since 2015.
What did this article say?
On September 30, 2026, Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) completed a $450,000 purchase of the Ulster Municipal Authority water system in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The acquisition added approximately 180 customers to WTRG’s Aqua Pennsylvania subsidiary. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved the transaction on August 27, 2026, confirming regulatory compliance. The move strengthens WTRG’s regional footprint and supports its commitment to delivering reliable drinking water.
What did this article say?
Essential Utilities (WTRG) has rebounded after earlier softness, posting a 90‑day share‑price gain of 13.4% and a 1‑year total shareholder return of 15.9%. The company’s regulated water and natural gas businesses remain steady, contributing to a 3‑year total shareholder return of 26.9%. Analysts view the current price near $41.60 as slightly undervalued relative to a fair‑value estimate of $42.00, suggesting a modest upside potential if the trend continues.
What did this article say?
Essential Utilities (WTRG) has entered a breakout phase, with a Technical Rating of 8 and Setup Score of 9. The stock is trading above its rising moving averages and is consolidating near a key entry level of $42.02. This technical environment suggests a potential upward momentum that could attract new buyers.
What did this article say?
Essential Utilities (WTRG) has received a rating downgrade, reflecting concerns over its valuation amid a broader utilities rally. The downgrade comes despite the company’s strong performance relative to the S&P 500 and its A‑S&P credit rating with a positive outlook. Analysts note that WTRG’s shares have moved from undervalued to slightly overvalued, raising questions about future upside potential. The merger with AWK continues to progress, but the downgrade signals that investors may need to reassess the risk‑return profile.
What did this article say?
UBS has increased its price target for WTRG from $48 to $49 while keeping a buy rating, signaling modest confidence in the company’s near‑term prospects. The adjustment reflects UBS’s view that WTRG’s fundamentals remain solid, though the lift is incremental and does not indicate a major shift in outlook. The rating remains unchanged, implying UBS sees no immediate catalysts to alter its stance.
What did this article say?
The BDC report highlights that Pennsylvania’s Act 11 has enabled gas utilities, including WTRG’s subsidiary Peoples Natural Gas, to increase capital spending on distribution infrastructure, leading to a 67% rise in residential gas bills over the past decade. This surge in customer surcharges is expected to lift WTRG’s revenue and earnings, as the company benefits from higher cost‑recovery rates. The report also calls for investment in affordable alternatives, suggesting a potential shift in future spending priorities that could affect long‑term capital allocation.
What did this article say?
UBS analyst Gregg Orrill has upgraded WTRG to a Buy rating and lifted the price target from $48 to $49, signaling confidence in the company’s utility earnings and dividend stability. The move reflects UBS’s view that WTRG’s regulated asset base and long‑term contracts provide a solid cash flow foundation amid modest regulatory changes. While the upgrade is a positive catalyst, the price target increase is modest and does not indicate a dramatic shift in valuation or earnings outlook.
What did this article say?
Analyst maintains a Hold rating on WTRG with a $42 target, citing that the merger arbitrage setup with American Water is clean but not compelling enough to drive a significant upside. The 3.5% dividend remains a key attractor, yet the merger’s potential gains are viewed as modest. The outlook suggests that WTRG’s valuation will likely remain near current levels until more definitive merger progress is announced.

Technical Analysis

Real-time indicators across multiple timeframes

9
BEARISH
Technical indicators reflect the latest computed signal mix for this timeframe.
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Congressional Trading Activity
4 disclosed trades · ~$32.0K est. traded value · 1 buys, 3 sells
MemberChamberStateTypeAmountTradedFiled
Lisa McClainHouseMI09▼ Sell$1K - $15K2025-10-312025-11-21
Lisa McClainHouseMI09▲ Buy$1K - $15K2025-09-252025-10-22
Dan NewhouseHouseWA04▼ Sell$1K - $15K2025-04-112025-05-16
Angus KingSenate-▼ Sell$1K - $15K2020-03-052020-04-22