Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) Sets New 1-Year Low – Time to Sell?

Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $33.38 and last traded at $33.51, with a volume of 268341 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $34.08.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on WTRG shares. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Essential Utilities from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $43.00 to $39.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Essential Utilities in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Essential Utilities from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $44.00 to $41.00 in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $43.20.

Essential Utilities Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 0.55 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $38.07 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.80. The company has a market capitalization of $9.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.76, a PEG ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.86.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last announced its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $435.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $416.95 million. Essential Utilities had a net margin of 27.84% and a return on equity of 7.89%. Essential Utilities’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.30 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Essential Utilities, Inc. will post 2.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Essential Utilities Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th will be paid a $0.3255 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.88%. Essential Utilities’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.00%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in WTRG. Friedenthal Financial bought a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities during the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in shares of Essential Utilities by 61.4% in the third quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 773 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the period. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter worth $42,000. Institutional investors own 74.78% of the company’s stock.

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.