ES vs. WTRG: Eversource Energy vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Eversource Energy (ES) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	ES	WTRG
Name	Eversource Energy	Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/Region	United States	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	26.31 billion USD	13.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WTRG

GSPC

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	0.35%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	14.06%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	0.61%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WTRG

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	24.60%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.65	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-41.69%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.53M	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ES 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.16	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.20	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Essential Utilities (WTRG) earns 8.13% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Eversource Energy (ES) has no ROE this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%
ES: --

WTRG

Utilities industry group

8.13%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
WTRG: 8.13%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): ES does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; WTRG is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Eversource Energy (ES) at 10.38%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ES

Utilities industry group

10.38%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
ES: 10.38%
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%

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 21.14%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ES

Utilities industry group

21.14%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
ES: 21.14%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	--	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	--	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	10.38%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	21.14%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	51.63%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 13.83% 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.

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

EPS Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 100.88% 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.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	13.83%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	3.30%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	100.88%	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.03%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Essential Utilities (WTRG) shows current ratio of 0.40 against its industry benchmark, while Eversource Energy (ES) has no reading this period.

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29
ES: --

WTRG

Utilities industry group

0.40

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
WTRG: 0.40
Min: 0.29

Eversource Energy (ES) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): ES does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; WTRG is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.81 uses more debt funding than most peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max: 2.63
ES: 1.81
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

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.81	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.73	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 4.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, ES the richer one.

ES

Utilities industry group

4.33%

Max: 6.66%
ES: 4.33%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 82.19% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

ES

Utilities industry group

82.19%

Max: 113.04%
ES: 82.19%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.33%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	82.19%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eversource Energy (ES) at 18.43 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.

ES

Utilities industry group

18.43

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
ES: 18.43
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.91 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.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.91

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
ES: 1.91
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

Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.61 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ES

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
ES: 1.61
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eversource Energy (ES) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	ES	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	18.43	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.91	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.61	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	-5.45%