WTRG
Essential Utilities, Inc. Utilities - Water & Gas Investor Relations →
Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) closed at $39.93 as of 2026-03-20, trading 6.5% above its 200-week moving average of $37.49. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 11.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 59, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.1x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.35 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2352 weeks of data, WTRG has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times. On average, these episodes lasted 14 weeks. Historically, investors who bought WTRG at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +35.0%.
With a market cap of $11.3 billion, WTRG is a large-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at 9.4%. The stock trades at 1.6x book value.
Share count has increased 7.3% over three years, indicating dilution.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in WTRG would have grown to $4431, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 12.1% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming WTRG as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: WTRG vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After WTRG Crosses Below the Line?
Across 10 historical episodes, buying WTRG when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +17.0% after 12 months (median +5.0%), compared to +1.9% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 57% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +32.3% vs +19.7% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment WTRG crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
WTRG has crossed below its 200-week MA 23 times with an average 1-year return of +35.0% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1981 | May 1981 | 2 | 4.5% | +177.8% | +45954.8% |
| Jun 1981 | Jun 1981 | 1 | 3.7% | +185.7% | +46087.2% |
| Oct 1987 | Nov 1987 | 2 | 5.8% | +18.2% | +7986.3% |
| Nov 1987 | Dec 1987 | 1 | 6.6% | +12.1% | +8014.3% |
| Aug 1988 | Aug 1988 | 1 | 0.0% | +13.2% | +7057.8% |
| Nov 1988 | Feb 1989 | 16 | 5.1% | +12.2% | +7057.8% |
| Mar 1989 | May 1989 | 11 | 3.1% | +14.4% | +7078.9% |
| Jun 1989 | Jun 1989 | 1 | 1.9% | +12.5% | +6952.7% |
| Jul 1989 | Jul 1989 | 1 | 0.1% | +7.3% | +6819.7% |
| Apr 1990 | Apr 1990 | 1 | 0.5% | +9.3% | +6595.2% |
| Jul 1990 | Dec 1990 | 22 | 13.2% | +19.0% | +6734.1% |
| Jan 1991 | Jan 1991 | 1 | 1.0% | +36.5% | +6739.6% |
| Feb 2000 | Mar 2000 | 5 | 7.6% | +57.1% | +1317.0% |
| Mar 2000 | Apr 2000 | 1 | 1.4% | +67.6% | +1303.3% |
| Jul 2002 | Jul 2002 | 1 | 1.3% | +51.2% | +841.5% |
| Jan 2008 | Jul 2010 | 130 | 30.5% | -3.1% | +296.9% |
| Jun 2022 | Jun 2022 | 1 | 0.8% | +2.2% | +8.2% |
| Sep 2022 | Oct 2022 | 4 | 7.0% | -14.8% | +8.1% |
| Feb 2023 | Apr 2025 | 111 | 23.7% | -14.3% | +5.1% |
| May 2025 | Aug 2025 | 13 | 6.2% | N/A | +6.4% |
| Sep 2025 | Sep 2025 | 3 | 4.3% | N/A | +6.1% |
| Dec 2025 | Dec 2025 | 3 | 0.3% | N/A | +6.1% |
| Feb 2026 | Feb 2026 | 1 | 1.2% | N/A | +7.7% |
| Average | 14 | — | +35.0% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WTRG below its 200-week moving average?
No. Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) is currently 6.5% above its 200-week moving average of $37.49. It would need to fall to $37.49 to cross below the line.
What is WTRG's 200-week moving average price?
Essential Utilities, Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $37.49 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when WTRG drops below its 200-week moving average?
WTRG has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +35.0%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 14 weeks on average.
Is WTRG a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about WTRG as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 59. Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is 9.4%. Price-to-book is 1.6x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does WTRG compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in WTRG would have grown to $4431, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 12.1% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. WTRG has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does WTRG pay a dividend?
Yes. Essential Utilities, Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 343.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20