NGG vs. WTRG: National Grid vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do National Grid (NGG) 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

National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but NGG is classified in Multi-Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Essential Utilities (WTRG) trades as ordinary local shares, while National Grid (NGG) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile Item	NGG	WTRG
Name	National Grid plc Sponsored ADR	Essential Utilities Inc.
Country/Region	United Kingdom	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	83.60 billion USD	13.02 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 10, 2005	March 17, 1980
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NGG

WTRG

GSPC

National Grid (NGG) 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 National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Total Return (1Y)	13.00%	19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	19.82%	13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	12.34%	2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NGG

WTRG

GSPC

National Grid (NGG) 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 National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	22.32%	22.14%
Beta (5Y)	0.73	0.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-39.20%	-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	911.70K	2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NGG 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 National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.39	0.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.54	1.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 10.31% 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.

NGG

Utilities industry group

10.31%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
NGG: 10.31%
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%

National Grid (NGG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both National Grid (NGG) at 21.15% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

NGG

Utilities industry group

21.15%

Max: 28.78%
NGG: 21.15%
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%

National Grid (NGG) 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 National Grid (NGG) at 28.64%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

NGG

Utilities industry group

28.64%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
NGG: 28.64%
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%

National Grid (NGG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
ROE (TTM)	10.31%	8.13%
ROA (TTM)	3.33%	3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)	21.15%	21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)	28.64%	38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	100.00%	57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while National Grid (NGG) at -3.76% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Essential Utilities (WTRG) reports EPS growth of 1.38%, ranked against its industry; National Grid (NGG) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-3.76%	18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-6.53%	2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)	--	1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-30.59%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 0.62 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.

NGG

Utilities industry group

0.62

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
NGG: 0.62
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

National Grid (NGG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 1.32 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NGG

Utilities industry group

1.32

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
NGG: 1.32
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

National Grid (NGG) 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 National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.62	0.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.32	1.23
Net Debt / EBITDA	6.32	6.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pays a yield in its industry’s typical range, while National Grid (NGG) at 0.57% falls in the bottom quartile of its peers.

NGG

Utilities industry group

0.57%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
NGG: 0.57%
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%

National Grid (NGG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 71.97% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 69.42% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

NGG

Utilities industry group

71.97%

Max: 113.04%
NGG: 71.97%
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%

National Grid (NGG) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.57%	3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	71.97%	69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 15.54 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.

NGG

Utilities industry group

15.54

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
NGG: 15.54
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

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both National Grid (NGG) at 4.46 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.

NGG

Utilities industry group

4.46

Max: 6.35
NGG: 4.46
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

National Grid (NGG) 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 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while National Grid (NGG) at 9.36 prices above its benchmark range — NGG looks rich relative to book.

NGG

Utilities industry group

9.36

NGG: 9.36
Max: 3.12
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for National Grid (NGG) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Metric	NGG	WTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	15.54	22.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)	4.46	5.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	9.36	1.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-5.94%	-5.45%