NEE vs. WTRG: NextEra Energy vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do NextEra Energy (NEE) 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

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

Company profile comparison for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	NEE	WTRG
Name	NextEra Energy Inc.	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	182.36 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

NEE

WTRG

GSPC

NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	7.27%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.47%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	3.34%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NEE

WTRG

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.60%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.59	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-44.97%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	11.90M	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NEE 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.14	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.21	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 14.06% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 8.13% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for NEE.

NEE

Utilities industry group

14.06%

Max: 17.99%
NEE: 14.06%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
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%

NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 40.37% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% also retains a top-quartile share.

NEE

Utilities industry group

40.37%

NEE: 40.37%
Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
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%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 33.00% 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.

NEE

Utilities industry group

33.00%

Max: 53.83%
NEE: 33.00%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	14.06%	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	2.41%	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	40.37%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	33.00%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	60.17%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while NextEra Energy (NEE) at 10.74% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WTRG.

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

EPS Growth

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at -2.63% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.74%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	9.36%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-2.63%	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	16.28%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 0.53 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 0.40 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

NEE

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
NEE: 0.53
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

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 1.53 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NEE

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
NEE: 1.53
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

NextEra Energy (NEE) 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 NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.53	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.53	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	8.09	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.76% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.76%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
NEE: 2.76%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

NextEra Energy (NEE) at 43.89% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NEE

Utilities industry group

43.89%

Max: 113.04%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
NEE: 43.89%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.76%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	43.89%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 15.67 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.

NEE

Utilities industry group

15.67

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
NEE: 15.67
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both NextEra Energy (NEE) at 6.33 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 5.01 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

NEE

Utilities industry group

6.33

Max: 6.35
NEE: 6.33
Q3: 3.63
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

NextEra Energy (NEE) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while NextEra Energy (NEE) at 2.97 carries an above-peer premium to book — NEE is pricier on assets.

NEE

Utilities industry group

2.97

Max: 3.12
NEE: 2.97
Q3: 2.21
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for NextEra Energy (NEE) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NEE	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	15.67	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	6.33	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.97	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-11.63%	-5.45%