Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) Position Increased by Cetera Trust Company N.A

Cetera Trust Company N.A raised its position in shares of Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) by 41.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,325 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 1,860 shares during the quarter. Cetera Trust Company N.A’s holdings in Essential Utilities were worth $230,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of WTRG. Friedenthal Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Brooklyn Investment Group purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. lifted 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities in the third quarter worth approximately $42,000. 74.78% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on WTRG. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Essential Utilities from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $43.00 to $39.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Essential Utilities from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $44.00 to $41.00 in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Essential Utilities presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $43.00.

Essential Utilities Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of WTRG stock opened at $34.34 on Wednesday. Essential Utilities, Inc. has a 12 month low of $33.18 and a 12 month high of $41.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. The business’s 50 day moving average is $37.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $38.68. The company has a market cap of $9.43 billion, a PE ratio of 17.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.86.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. Essential Utilities had a return on equity of 7.89% and a net margin of 27.84%. The company had revenue of $435.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $416.95 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Essential Utilities, Inc. will post 1.99 EPS for the current year.

Essential Utilities Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.3255 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.79%. Essential Utilities’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.00%.

Essential Utilities 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.