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WTRG Stock Forecast: Essential Utilities, Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 14 Aug 2026
$40
−0.20% on the day

The 7 Wall Street analysts covering Essential Utilities, Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $41 — +1.5% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 34 of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026 — in the lower half.

Market cap
$11.5B
Ticker Nerd rank
34 / 100
Median analyst target
$41
Analysts covering
7
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+1.8%
1M
+5.6%
YTD
+8.2%
1Y
+7.1%
From 52W high
−1.3%
From 52W low
+13.1%
$36
$41
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

WTRG stock analysis: one number for the whole business

Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Essential Utilities, Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.

Where the model ranks itAs at 15 Aug 2026
34 / 100

Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested

Volatility
87
Momentum
67
Value
66
Revisions
52
Quality
40
Accruals
37
Growth
33
Issuance
30
Size
15

Volatility (87): The share price has been relatively steady.

Issuance (30): The company has been issuing shares or taking on financing, diluting existing holders.

Size (15): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.

Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.

Wall Street

WTRG stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on WTRG, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$36$38$40$42$44$46Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26WTRGHigh $46Median $41Low $38

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

What Wall Street says7 analysts
2 Buy4 Hold1 Sell
Low $38Median $41High $46

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +1.5% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first
DateFirmActionRatingTarget
15 July 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight$38 → $40
15 July 2026BarclaysMaintainsUnderweight—
2 July 2026UBSMaintainsBuy—
29 May 2026UBSUpgradeBuy—
17 Dec 2025BarclaysDowngradeUnderweight—
28 Oct 2025JefferiesDowngradeHold—
28 Oct 2025UBSDowngradeNeutral—
27 Oct 2025Janney Montgomery ScottDowngradeNeutral—
10 Oct 2025BarclaysMaintainsOverweight—
10 Oct 2025JefferiesMaintainsBuy—
2 Oct 2025BarclaysInitiatesOverweight—
15 Aug 2025UBSMaintainsBuy—
4 Aug 2025BairdMaintainsOutperform—
13 May 2025BairdMaintainsOutperform—
4 Apr 2025BairdMaintainsOutperform—
5 Mar 2025Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform—
27 Feb 2025Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight—
28 Jan 2025JefferiesUpgradeBuy—
14 Jan 2025UBSMaintainsBuy—
7 Jan 2025Wells FargoDowngradeEqual-Weight—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.

Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. WTRG appears on the weeks it earns a place.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Estimates

WTRG analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
−1.7%
Analysts raising
1
Analysts cutting
1
Fundamentals

Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
20.7×

Cheaper than 38% of US stocks

Price / sales
4.5×

Cheaper than 29% of US stocks

Price / book
1.6×

Cheaper than 53% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
14.7×

Cheaper than 25% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
3.1%

Higher than 35% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
−2.0%

Higher than 33% of US stocks

Gross margin
62.4%

Higher than 76% of US stocks

Operating margin
35.4%

Higher than 90% of US stocks

Net margin
21.6%

Higher than 84% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
8.1%

Higher than 59% of US stocks

Return on assets
3.0%

Higher than 65% of US stocks

Dividend yield
3.6%

Higher than 73% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Peers

WTRG vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelUtilities - Regulated Water
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
WTRGEssential Utilities, Inc.$11.5B
34
AWKAmerican Water Works Co., Inc.$26.6B
37
AWRAmerican States Water Co.$3.5B
82
CWTCalifornia Water Service Group$3.0B
39
HTOH2O America$2.6B
24
MSEXMiddlesex Water Co.$1.1B
31
ENLTEnlight Renewable Energy Ltd.*$11.8B
18

* Nearest Utilities names by size — few utilities - regulated water companies of this scale trade in the US universe.

Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.

The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Essential Utilities, Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →

News

Latest WTRG news & analysis

Before You Dig a Hole, Make 811 Your Goal: Essential Utilities Recognizes 811 Day and the Importance of Safe Digging

Business Wire · 10 Aug 2026neutral

Essential Utilities and its subsidiaries, Aqua Water and Peoples Natural Gas, urged customers and contractors to recognize 811 Day on August 11 and to call 811 before any digging or excavation projects to have utilities marked. The company emphasized safe digging practices during peak construction season.

Why it matters — This news highlights Essential Utilities' safety-focused communications with customers and contractors around its water and natural gas operations, reinforcing its customer engagement and public safety efforts.

Essential Utilities Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

MarketBeat · 9 Aug 2026neutral

Essential Utilities reported second-quarter 2026 GAAP earnings of $0.37 per share, down from $0.38 per share in the prior-year quarter. Higher regulatory recoveries and water volumes were offset by lower gas volumes and increased operating expenses, depreciation, and interest costs.

Why it matters — The slight earnings decline and the offsetting factors provide WTRG watchers with a snapshot of the company's latest quarterly financial performance and the pressures on its results.

WTRG Q2 Earnings Meet Estimates, Revenues Beat on Water Growth

Zacks Investment Research · 5 Aug 2026neutral

WTRG's second-quarter earnings met estimates while revenues rose 3.1% and beat expectations, driven by a 7.6% climb in water sales. Profit was weighed down by merger costs and higher interest expenses.

Why it matters — A WTRG watcher would note the strong water-sales growth behind the revenue beat even as merger costs and interest expenses pressure profitability.

Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Seeking Alpha · 5 Aug 2026neutral

Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) held its Q2 2026 earnings call, with the transcript published on Seeking Alpha. The call covered the company's financial results and operational performance for the quarter.

Why it matters — Earnings calls provide direct insight into WTRG's financial health, operational strategy, and management's outlook, which are key for investors tracking the company's performance.

Essential Utilities (WTRG) Matches Q2 Earnings Estimates

Zacks Investment Research · 5 Aug 2026neutral

Essential Utilities (WTRG) reported quarterly earnings of $0.38 per share, matching both the Zacks Consensus Estimate and its earnings from the same quarter last year.

Why it matters — The earnings report shows WTRG met analyst expectations exactly, maintaining steady performance compared to the prior year without any surprises.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about WTRG stock

What is the WTRG stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 7 Wall Street analysts covering Essential Utilities, Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $41, with estimates ranging from $38 to $46. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is WTRG stock a buy right now?

Of the 7 analysts covering Essential Utilities, Inc., 2 rate it a Buy, 4 a Hold and 1 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Essential Utilities, Inc. 34 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 15 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank WTRG?

As at 15 Aug 2026, Essential Utilities, Inc. ranks 34 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (87 of 100).

Will WTRG stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 7 analysts implies +1.5% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Essential Utilities, Inc. 34 out of 100 as at 15 Aug 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the WTRG stock forecast for 2030?

No analyst covering Essential Utilities, Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for WTRG are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $38 to $46 over the next 12 months.

How has WTRG stock performed over the past year?

Essential Utilities, Inc. returned +7.1% over the 12 months to 14 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Essential Utilities, Inc. do?

Essential Utilities Inc. is a regulated utilities company that operates water, wastewater, and natural gas services across multiple states in the United States.

What is the latest news on WTRG?

The most recent item we track (Business Wire, 10 Aug 2026): "Before You Dig a Hole, Make 811 Your Goal: Essential Utilities Recognizes 811 Day and the Importance of Safe Digging". Essential Utilities and its subsidiaries, Aqua Water and Peoples Natural Gas, urged customers and contractors to recognize 811 Day on August 11 and to call 811 before any digging or excavation projects to have utilities marked. The company emphasized safe digging practices during peak construction season.

Company

About Essential Utilities, Inc.

Essential Utilities Inc. is a regulated utilities company that operates water, wastewater, and natural gas services across multiple states in the United States. Through its subsidiaries, including the Aqua brand for water and wastewater operations and the Peoples brand for natural gas distribution, it delivers essential infrastructure services to residential, commercial, and municipal customers. The company maintains regulated water and wastewater systems, providing drinking water distribution, treatment, and collection services, while its natural gas segment focuses on safe and reliable distribution networks. Essential Utilities Inc. emphasizes infrastructure investment, including pipe replacements, treatment facility upgrades, and system expansions through operating and maintenance contracts. It serves communities in states such as Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, and Virginia, acting as a key provider of life-sustaining resources. Headquartered in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, with natural gas operations based in Pittsburgh, the company supports environmental stewardship by protecting natural lands and watersheds integral to its operations.

CEO Mr. Christopher H. Franklin · 3,291 employees · United States · https://www.essential.co