EMA vs. WTRG: Emera vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Emera (EMA) 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

Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but EMA is classified in Electric Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	EMA	WTRG
Name	Emera Inc.	Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/Region	Canada	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Electric Utilities	Water Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Electric Utilities	Water Utilities
Market Capitalization	15.62 billion USD	13.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 5, 2010	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

EMA

WTRG

GSPC

Emera (EMA) 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

Loading price history…

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

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	9.07%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	18.64%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	6.45%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

EMA

WTRG

GSPC

Emera (EMA) 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

Loading price history…

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	16.26%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.40	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-32.61%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	713.97K	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

EMA 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 Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.29	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.43	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Emera (EMA) at 7.56% 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.

EMA

Utilities industry group

7.56%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
EMA: 7.56%
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%

Emera (EMA) 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 Emera (EMA) at 11.64%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

EMA

Utilities industry group

11.64%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
EMA: 11.64%
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%

Emera (EMA) 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 Emera (EMA) at 17.85%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

EMA

Utilities industry group

17.85%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
EMA: 17.85%
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%

Emera (EMA) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	7.56%	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	2.91%	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.64%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	17.85%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	43.76%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Emera (EMA) at 21.89% 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.

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

EPS Growth

Emera (EMA) at 97.66% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	21.89%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.97%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	97.66%	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-1.62%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Emera (EMA) at 0.73 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.

EMA

Utilities industry group

0.73

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
EMA: 0.73
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

Emera (EMA) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Emera (EMA) at 1.54 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

EMA

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
EMA: 1.54
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

Emera (EMA) 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 Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.73	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.54	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	6.38	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Emera (EMA) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Essential Utilities (WTRG) reports a yield of 3.01%, ranking against industry peers normally.

EMA

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
EMA: 0.00%
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%

Emera (EMA) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Emera (EMA) at 92.48% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

EMA

Utilities industry group

92.48%

Max: 113.04%
EMA: 92.48%
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%

Emera (EMA) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	92.48%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Emera (EMA) at 23.58 sits in the richer quartile — EMA needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

EMA

Utilities industry group

23.58

Max: 31.22
EMA: 23.58
Q3: 23.30
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Emera (EMA) at 1.75 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.

EMA

Utilities industry group

1.75

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
EMA: 1.75
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

Emera (EMA) 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 Emera (EMA) at 1.80 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

EMA

Utilities industry group

1.80

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
EMA: 1.80
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Emera (EMA) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	EMA	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.58	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.75	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.80	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-9.18%	-5.45%