D vs. WTRG: Dominion Energy vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Dominion Energy (D) 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

Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but D is classified in Multi-Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	D	WTRG
Name	Dominion Energy, Inc.	Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Multi-Utilities	Water Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Multi-Utilities	Water Utilities
Market Capitalization	60.34 billion USD	13.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WTRG

GSPC

Dominion Energy (D) 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 Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	16.61%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.91%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	2.95%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WTRG

GSPC

Dominion Energy (D) 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 Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.38%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.60	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-52.20%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.42M	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

D 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 Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.58	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.94	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 8.82% 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.

D

Utilities industry group

8.82%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
D: 8.82%
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%

Dominion Energy (D) 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 Dominion Energy (D) at 13.99%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

D

Utilities industry group

13.99%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
D: 13.99%
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%

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 35.07% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 38.94% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

D

Utilities industry group

35.07%

Max: 53.83%
D: 35.07%
Q3: 31.12%
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%

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	8.82%	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	3.17%	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	13.99%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	35.07%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	46.51%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 14.16% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

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

EPS Growth

Dominion Energy (D) at 39.78% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for D.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	14.16%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.80%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	39.78%	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	46.26%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Dominion Energy (D) at 0.88 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.

D

Utilities industry group

0.88

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
D: 0.88
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

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 1.62 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

D

Utilities industry group

1.62

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
D: 1.62
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

Dominion Energy (D) 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 Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.88	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.62	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	6.21	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dominion Energy (D) at 3.83% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, D the richer one.

D

Utilities industry group

3.83%

Max: 6.66%
D: 3.83%
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%

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 88.12% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

D

Utilities industry group

88.12%

Max: 113.04%
D: 88.12%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
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%

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.83%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	88.12%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Dominion Energy (D) at 22.64 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

D

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
D: 22.64
Median: 19.64
Q1: 15.17
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

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Dominion Energy (D) at 3.14 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 5.01 sits in the pricier quartile — WTRG costs more per dollar of sales.

D

Utilities industry group

3.14

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
D: 3.14
Median: 2.63
Q1: 1.52
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

Dominion Energy (D) 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 Dominion Energy (D) at 2.11 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

D

Utilities industry group

2.11

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
D: 2.11
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

Dominion Energy (D) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Dominion Energy (D) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	D	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	22.64	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.14	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.11	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-12.95%	-5.45%