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AES vs. WTRG: AES vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

How do AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AES is classified in Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile ItemAESWTRG
NameThe AES CorporationEssential Utilities Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryIndependent Power and Renewable Electricity ProducersWater Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryIndependent Power Producers & Energy TradersWater Utilities
Market Capitalization10.61 billion USD13.02 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 26, 1991March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AES
WTRG
GSPC
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Total Return (1Y)10.79%19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)3.44%13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-5.12%2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AES
WTRG
GSPC
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.19%22.14%
Beta (5Y)0.930.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-63.43%-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.50M2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AES and WTRG are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.260.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.331.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both AES (AES) at 8.68% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 8.13% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AES

Utilities industry group

8.68%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
AES
8.68%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

8.13%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
WTRG
8.13%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of AES (AES) at 13.16%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AES

Utilities industry group

13.16%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
AES
13.16%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

21.79%

Max
28.78%
WTRG
21.79%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 38.94% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of AES (AES) at 23.89%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AES

Utilities industry group

23.89%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
AES
23.89%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

38.94%

Max
53.83%
WTRG
38.94%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
ROE (TTM)8.68%8.13%
ROA (TTM)3.13%3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)13.16%21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.89%38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.34%57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while AES (AES) at -0.37% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while AES (AES) at -46.61% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)-0.37%18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.03%2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)-46.61%1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AES (AES) at 0.86 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 0.40 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WTRG.

AES

Utilities industry group

0.86

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
AES
0.86
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29

WTRG

Utilities industry group

0.40

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WTRG
0.40
Min
0.29
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while AES (AES) at 2.43 uses more debt funding than most peers.

AES

Utilities industry group

2.43

Max
2.63
AES
2.43
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.23

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
WTRG
1.23
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.860.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.431.23
Net Debt / EBITDA7.286.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

AES (AES) at 4.73% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, AES the richer one.

AES

Utilities industry group

4.73%

Max
6.66%
AES
4.73%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

3.01%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WTRG
3.01%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AES (AES) at 28.27% retains more earnings than its industry usually does; Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% distributes an above-typical share — opposite departures from the band, with the risk sitting on WTRG’s side.

AES

Utilities industry group

28.27%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
AES
28.27%
Min
0.00%

WTRG

Utilities industry group

69.42%

Max
113.04%
WTRG
69.42%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.73%3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)28.27%69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

AES (AES) at 5.97 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for AES, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AES

Utilities industry group

5.97

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
AES
5.97
Min
3.34

WTRG

Utilities industry group

22.73

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WTRG
22.73
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

AES (AES) at 0.78 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 5.01 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

AES

Utilities industry group

0.78

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
AES
0.78
Min
0.00

WTRG

Utilities industry group

5.01

Max
6.35
WTRG
5.01
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both AES (AES) at 1.86 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AES

Utilities industry group

1.86

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
AES
1.86
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.83

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
WTRG
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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AES (AES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AES (AES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricAESWTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)5.9722.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.785.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.861.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-30.54%-5.45%