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

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research upped their FY2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Essential Utilities in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, October 16th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now forecasts that the company will post earnings per share of $2.11 for the year, up from their previous forecast 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 released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The company reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.30 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $434.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $442.76 million. Essential Utilities had a return on equity of 8.16% and a net margin of 28.74%. The firm’s revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.34 EPS.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on WTRG. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Essential Utilities from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of Essential Utilities in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Essential Utilities from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Essential Utilities in a research note on Monday, October 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $44.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Essential Utilities from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. 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, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $44.80.

Essential Utilities Stock Up 1.2 %

WTRG opened at $40.55 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $39.02 and its 200 day moving average price is $38.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.44. The stock 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. Essential Utilities has a 12 month low of $32.42 and a 12 month high of $41.78.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Essential Utilities

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Essential Utilities by 24.7% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 152,120 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,636,000 after buying an additional 30,152 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in Essential Utilities by 12.1% in the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 139,534 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,171,000 after purchasing an additional 15,009 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its position in Essential Utilities by 17,553.7% during the 1st quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 3,425,350 shares of the company’s stock worth $126,156,000 after purchasing an additional 3,405,947 shares in the last quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in Essential Utilities during the 1st quarter valued at $46,280,000. Finally, Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its stake in Essential Utilities by 350.3% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 903,372 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,723,000 after purchasing an additional 702,760 shares during the period. 74.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Essential Utilities Increases Dividend

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