Stocktoria

Essential Utilities, Inc. WTRG

NYSE · stock · Water Supply · website · IPO 1981-05-22 · LEI

Essential Utilities, Inc. statistics & valuation

Market cap$10.8B
P / E17.4×
P / S4.3×
P / B1.6×
Dividend yield3.48%
Net margin24.9%
Return on equity9.0%
Net debt$8.1B
Net debt / EBITDA6×
Enterprise value USD$18.8B
EV / EBITDA14.1×
Earnings yield EBIT/EV4.9%
Return on capital4.9%
Graham number -12.7%$34.78

Market cap as of 2026-06-29. Multiples are price-derived and refreshed daily; everything else from the latest financial reports. The Graham number is Benjamin Graham's rough maximum fair value ($34.78); a green figure means the price is below it.

Profitability & efficiency

Net margin (%)
28.60% 29.60% 22.90% 25.20% 19.50% 23.00% 20.30% 24.30% 28.50% 24.90% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Gross margin (%)
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Operating margin (%)
40.70% 41.20% 38.60% 38.20% 29.70% 32.10% 28.90% 33.70% 36.30% 37.20% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Return on equity (%)
12.70% 12.20% 9.60% 5.80% 6.10% 8.30% 8.70% 8.40% 9.60% 9.00% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Shares outstanding
177.8M 178.2M 178.4M 215.9M 254.6M 258.2M 262.9M 267.7M 274.4M 280.6M 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Net debt ($)
$1.73B $2.00B $2.39B $1.07B $5.50B $5.77B $6.36B $6.82B $7.36B $8.08B 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Share buybacks ($)
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Return on assets (%)
3.80% 3.80% 2.80% 2.40% 2.10% 2.90% 3.00% 3.00% 3.30% 3.20% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Free cash flow margin (%)
1.60% -12.00% -15.20% 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Debt / equity (×)
0.94× 1.03× 1.19× 0.76× 1.18× 1.11× 1.18× 1.16× 1.19× 1.18× 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
EPS ($)
$1.32 $1.35 $1.08 $1.04 $1.12 $1.67 $1.77 $1.86 $2.17 $2.20 2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Margins and returns computed from annual filings. Falling shares outstanding = buybacks; rising = dilution. Net debt = debt − cash (negative = net cash).

P / E vs its own history

Essential Utilities, Inc. trades at about 18.1× earnings — below its 10-year norm (10-year range 16.4×–49.9×, median 26.8×).

16.4× 49.9×

Shaded band = 10-year range (16.4×–49.9×); dot = today's 18.1×.

Historical P/E = month-end price near each fiscal year-end ÷ that year's EPS. A read on whether the stock is cheap or dear relative to how it has typically been valued — not a forecast.

Key ratios (by fiscal year)

RatioFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020FY2019FY2018FY2017FY2016
Operating margin37.2%36.3%33.7%28.9%32.1%29.7%38.2%38.6%41.2%40.7%
Net margin24.9%28.5%24.3%20.3%23.0%19.5%25.2%22.9%29.6%28.6%
FCF margin———————-15.2%-12.0%1.6%
Return on assets3.2%3.3%3.0%3.0%2.9%2.1%2.4%2.8%3.8%3.8%
Return on equity9.0%9.6%8.4%8.7%8.3%6.1%5.8%9.6%12.2%12.7%
Debt / equity1.18×1.19×1.16×1.18×1.11×1.18×0.76×1.19×1.03×0.94×
Current ratio0.800.500.620.640.650.636.230.370.460.43

Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.