Captrust Financial Advisors Has $694,000 Stake in Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG)

Captrust Financial Advisors raised its holdings in Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) by 43.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,981 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 5,432 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors’ holdings in Essential Utilities were worth $694,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Essential Utilities by 0.4% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,754,099 shares of the company’s stock valued at $102,811,000 after acquiring an additional 9,822 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its position in shares of Essential Utilities by 7.3% during the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 2,154,215 shares of the company’s stock worth $83,088,000 after purchasing an additional 145,767 shares during the last quarter. Tandem Investment Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Essential Utilities by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Tandem Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 2,034,497 shares of the company’s stock worth $78,471,000 after purchasing an additional 10,560 shares in the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp raised its stake in shares of Essential Utilities by 117.3% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 1,962,692 shares of the company’s stock worth $75,701,000 after purchasing an additional 1,059,320 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Essential Utilities by 8.7% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,871,932 shares of the company’s stock valued at $72,200,000 after buying an additional 149,162 shares during the last quarter. 74.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Essential Utilities Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of WTRG opened at $39.08 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $10.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.06 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.55. Essential Utilities, Inc. has a 52 week low of $33.57 and a 52 week high of $41.78. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $39.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $38.90.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last posted its 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. The company had revenue of $435.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $416.95 million. Essential Utilities had a return on equity of 7.89% and a net margin of 27.84%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.30 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Essential Utilities, Inc. will post 2.02 earnings per share for the current year.

Essential Utilities Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 2nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 12th were given a $0.3255 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 12th. This represents a $1.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.33%. Essential Utilities’s payout ratio is presently 65.00%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

WTRG has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded shares of Essential Utilities from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $44.00 to $41.00 in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Essential Utilities in a report on Friday, September 20th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $43.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.00.

About Essential Utilities

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.