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Essential Utilities (WTRG): analyst forecast and price target
Analyst consensus
Moderate Buy1 Buy1 Hold0 Sell
Ratings of 2 analysts in the last 3 months12-month forecast
Based on 2 price targets given in the last 3 months, the average target is $47.00, the highest $47.00, the lowest $47.00. The average is +15.1% from the last price of $40.83.
| Analyst | Firm | Price target | Rating | Upside | Action | Date | Move vs SPY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregg Orrill★★★★★★★★★★#4820 · hits 65% · avg +3.1% | UBS | $49.00 → $47.00−4.1% | Buy | +15.1% | Assigned | 16.10.26on TipRanks 08:00 | +2.4% | ↗ |
| Gregg Orrill★★★★★★★★★★#4820 · hits 65% · avg +3.1% | UBS | $49.00 | Buy | +20.0% | Reiterated | 05.10.26on TipRanks Oct 6 06:30 | −2.5%next day −0.2% · 5 days +0.8% | ↗ |
| Unknown Analyst | Seaport Global | — | Hold | — | Reiterated | 16.08.26on TipRanks Aug 21 21:00 | −1.0%next day +2.1% · 5 days +5.1% | |
| AI Google Regulated WaterGemini 2.5Pro | TipRanks - Google | $44.00 → $45.00+2.3% | Buy | +10.2% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| AI xAi Regulated WaterxAI Grok-3 | TipRanks - xAI | $45.00 | Buy | +10.2% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| AI Anthropic Regulated WaterAnthropic Opus-4.1 | TipRanks - Anthropic | $41.00 | Hold | +0.4% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| AI DeepSeek Regulated WaterDeepSeek R1-0528 | TipRanks - DeepSeek | $45.00 → $44.00−2.2% | Buy | +7.8% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| AI OpenAI Regulated WaterOpenAI 4o | TipRanks - OpenAI | $43.00 | Hold | +5.3% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| AI PerPlexity Regulated WaterPerPlexity SonarPro | TipRanks - PerPlexity | $44.00 → $46.00+4.5% | Buy | +12.7% | Reiterated | 06.08.26on TipRanks 10:13 | — | |
| Nicholas Campanella★★★★★★★★★★#690 · hits 62% · avg +10.3% | Barclays | $38.00 → $40.00+5.3% | Sell | −2.0% | Reiterated | 15.07.26on TipRanks 04:45 | −2.1%next day +4.6% · 5 days +4.9% | ↗ |
| John Eade★★★★★★★★★★#268 · hits 66% · avg +15.0% | Argus Research | — | Buy | — | Reiterated | 20.03.26on TipRanks Mar 23 10:05 | +0.1%next day −0.9% · 5 days +3.3% | ↗ |
| Ryan Connors★★★★★★★★★★#1390 · hits 66% · avg +12.4% | Northcoast Research | $46.00 → $42.00−8.7% | Buy | +2.9% | Upgrade | 03.12.25on TipRanks 09:00 | −0.3%next day −2.5% · 5 days −4.9% | ↗ |
| Julien Dumoulin Smith★★★★★★★★★★#774 · hits 62% · avg +8.9% | Jefferies | $44.00 | Hold | +7.8% | Downgrade | 29.10.25on TipRanks Oct 28 12:00 | −0.5%next day −3.5% · 5 days −3.6% | ↗ |
| Davis Sunderland★★★★★★★★★★#6505 · hits 71% · avg +7.9% | Robert W. Baird | $43.00 | Hold | +5.3% | Downgrade | 28.10.25on TipRanks Oct 27 15:50 | −2.6%next day −0.5% · 5 days −6.0% | ↗ |
| Michael Gaugler★★★★★★★★★★#5191 · hits 62% · avg +2.2% | Huntington Capital Markets | $43.00 | Hold | +5.3% | Downgrade | 27.10.25on TipRanks 14:35 | −2.6%next day −0.5% · 5 days −6.0% | ↗ |
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Every rating the collector has kept for the last 12 months, including the earlier ones of the same analyst. Latest of each analyst
Best analysts covering Essential Utilities
TipRanks picks them by their record on this stock; the figures under the name are their record across all their ratings.
Most accurate
Most profitable
How the average price target moved
The average target of all analysts (their ratings of the 3 months before) on each day, the top analysts’ dashed, against the price; the site keeps this record since 1 October 2026. On 06.10.26: target $44.50 at a price of $38.67 (+15.1%); now: $47.00 at $40.83 (+15.1%).
PriceAverage targetTop analysts’ target
Recommendation trend
Strong BuyBuyHoldSell
| Rating | 05.26 | 06.26 | 07.26 | 08.26 | 09.26 | 10.26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Buy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Hold | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sell | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Earnings and sales forecast
Next report: 03.11.26 (Q3 2026, date not confirmed)
Earnings per share
Next quarter’s EPS estimate — $0.34 (from $0.29 to $0.36). Last quarter: $0.38.
Sales
Next quarter’s sales estimate — $450M (from $395M to $506M). Last quarter: $531M.
Best top-analyst consensus in the sector · Utilities
About Essential Utilities
- CEO: Christopher H. Franklin
- Employees: 3,303
- 762 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010-3489, US
- www.essential.co
Essential Utilities, Inc. is a diversified utility enterprise that, through its various operating units, delivers vital water, wastewater, and natural gas services within the United States. Its operations extend beyond direct utility provision, encompassing contractual management and maintenance of water systems for municipal authorities and other organizations. The company also offers specialized non-utility services, such as providing untreated water resources for the natural gas drilling sector and, via a third-party partner, supplying protective and repair solutions for household water and sewer lines. Catering to an extensive client base of approximately 7.5 million residential, commercial, industrial, fire protection, and general utility customers, Essential Utilities operates under the well-known Aqua and Peoples brands across a significant geographic footprint. This footprint includes Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Founded in 1886, the corporation is headquartered in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and adopted its current name, Essential Utilities, Inc., in February 2020, previously being known as Aqua America, Inc.
Data from the stock’s TipRanks forecast page, read 246 min ago. It is read again as soon as a new rating appears and at least every 8 hours. TipRanks ↗