NYSE:WTRGWater Utilities
Essential Utilities (WTRG) Margin Dip Reinforces Dividend and Financial Sustainability Concerns
Essential Utilities (WTRG) reported annual earnings growth of 7.5% and revenues forecast to rise 5.7% per year. Both figures are running below US market averages of 16% for revenue and 10.5% for earnings. Current net profit margins sit at 27.6%, just shy of last year’s 28.7%. The company’s five-year profit growth rate of 13.2% and a recent earnings jump of 16% demonstrate some resilience. A price-to-earnings ratio of 17.2x places shares below peer averages, even as the current share price...