FrançaisAre analysts right about Essential Utilities (WTRG)?
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Historical analyst accuracy
For Essential Utilities, we replayed every analyst price target of the past 12 months and measured the real outcome: 6% were profitable, average return -2% (33 calls). At 3 months: -0% average return (24% profitable). The higher the %, the more often analysts were right on this stock.
Most reliable analysts on this stock (past track record)
Their past track record on this stock (targets replayed against real prices) — not a forecast of what will happen.
| Analyst / broker | Calls i | % profitable i | Avg return i |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baird | 9 | 0% | -1% |
| Wells Fargo | 6 | 17% | -5% |
Valuation
Is Essential Utilities overvalued, and is it a good time to buy Essential Utilities right now? If you're wondering, here's a recap to make up your own mind: Essential Utilities's valuation vs its sector median, to weigh alongside analyst reliability (above) and past performance. Educational information, not buy advice.
The P/E (price ÷ earnings per share) = how many years of earnings you pay for the stock. The higher it is, the more growth the market expects — but the pricier the stock, so more vulnerable if growth disappoints. The forward P/E uses next year's expected earnings: lower than the current P/E = rising expected earnings. We compare it to the sector median to see whether the stock is expensive relative to its peers.
| Metric | Essential Utilities | Sector median (Utilities) |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 20.9 | 20.9 |
| Forward P/E | 17.0 | 16.9 |
| Net margin | 22% | 14% |
👉 Essential Utilities is valued in line with its sector (20.9 vs 20.9).
📖 P/E, PEG, margin…: see the glossary
💵 Dividend : Essential Utilities pays about $1.37/share/yr → 3.61% yield. what is this?
Frequently asked questions
Is Essential Utilities a buy right now?
The analyst consensus on Essential Utilities (WTRG) is "Hold" (5 bullish, 2 bearish calls over 12 months). This is not advice: historically, 6% of their targets on this stock turned out profitable over 1 year.
What is Essential Utilities's price target?
The median 12-month price target is $43.00 (+6% vs $40.55), ranging from $40.00 to $46.00 (2 analysts).
Are analysts accurate on Essential Utilities?
Over 1 year, 6% of analyst targets on Essential Utilities were profitable, for an average return of -2% (across 33 timestamped calls). This is JPI Invest's accuracy metric.
What is the Essential Utilities stock forecast?
Analysts target a median of $43.00 within 12 months, i.e. +6% vs the current price. The most bullish targets $46.00, the most cautious $40.00.
What is the Essential Utilities stock forecast for 2026 or long term (2030)?
Note: analyst targets are 12-month (median $43.00, +6%), NOT 2030. No reliable 5-10 year price forecast exists (« 2030 prediction » models are speculative). The most useful inputs: the 12-month median above, these analysts' historical accuracy (6%), and the stock's past trajectory.
Is Essential Utilities overvalued?
Its P/E is 20.9, forward P/E 17.0. A forward P/E lower than the current P/E means earnings are expected to grow.
📊 See the full interactive analysis of Essential Utilities →
What is JPI Invest?
JPI Invest aggregates analyst recommendations across the entire S&P 500 (plus the S&P MidCap 400), replays them against real prices and measures who predicts best — on results, not reputation. Instead of taking a price target at face value, you see each analyst's track record on each stock.
- 🏆 Analyst leaderboard by real reliability (beating their sector, not just riding the rally)
- 🎯 What to buy: 3 backtested methods over 6 years, from cautious to aggressive
- 💬 AI assistant: ask anything about any stock, with the numbers
- 📊 Portfolio tracking + 🔔 price alerts by email
⚠️ Educational information, not investment advice. Analyst price targets are 12-month and can be wrong. Data via Yahoo Finance, recomputed by JPI Invest.