# Essential (WTRG) — Overview

WTRG · NYSE · Stock

Canonical page: https://www.lighthorse.io/tickers/wtrg

## Price

Last close $40.29 on Oct 15, 2026. 52-week range $36.25 – $42.00.

## Company profile

Essential Utilities is a Pennsylvania-based holding company for US water, wastewater, and natural gas distribution utilities. The company's water business serves 3 million people in eight states. Its largest service territory is in Pennsylvania, primarily suburban Philadelphia. Its Peoples subsidiary serves more than 740,000 gas distribution customers in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. It completed the sale of its West Virginia gas utility and the bulk of its nonregulated assets in 2024. Essential shareholders would own a 31% stake in American Water Works if the proposed all-stock merger closes in 2027.

## Financials

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Revenue (trailing twelve months) | $2.6B |
| Revenue (quarter) | $530.9M |
| Revenue growth (year over year) | 3.10% |
| Gross profit (trailing twelve months) | $2.2B |
| Gross margin | 84.28% |
| Net income (trailing twelve months) | $554.9M |
| Net income (quarter) | $105.7M |
| Net income growth (year over year) | -1.95% |
| Net margin | 21.60% |
| Return on equity | 8.08% |
| EPS (trailing twelve months) | $1.95 |
| Book value per share | $24.73 |
| P/E (trailing twelve months) | 20.6 |
| Price to book | 1.6 |
| Debt to assets | 64.81% |
| Payout ratio | 60.64% |
| Dividend yield | 3.44% |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Essential (WTRG) profitable?

Yes. Essential earned $554.9M in net income over the trailing twelve months, a net margin of 21.60%.

### How much revenue does Essential (WTRG) make?

Essential generated $2.6B in revenue over the trailing twelve months, up 3.10% year over year.

### What is WTRG's P/E ratio?

Essential trades at 20.6 times trailing twelve-month earnings, on an EPS of $1.95.

### How do I buy stock in Essential (WTRG)?

WTRG trades commission-free with a Light Horse Securities brokerage account — from the mobile app, the web at [Light Horse Dashboard](https://portal.lighthorse.io), the trading API, or an [AI agent connected over MCP](/instructions/ai/claude). The trade panel on this page places the order once you are signed in.

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Quotes and charts are not real-time and must not be relied on for trade decisions or valuation.

This page is for informational purposes only. Nothing on it is a recommendation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any security, nor investment, legal or tax advice. Light Horse Securities Inc does not verify third-party data and is not responsible for its accuracy, completeness or timeliness.

Data provided by [AInvest](https://www.ainvest.com).