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PNW vs. WTRG: Pinnacle West Capital vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

How do Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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

Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but PNW is classified in Electric Utilities while WTRG is classified in Water Utilities.

Company profile comparison for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile ItemPNWWTRG
NamePinnacle West Capital CorporationEssential Utilities Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
Market Capitalization12.63 billion USD13.02 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PNW
WTRG
GSPC
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Total Return (1Y)24.23%19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.78%13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)15.87%2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PNW
WTRG
GSPC
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)17.21%22.14%
Beta (5Y)0.480.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.02%-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.28M2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PNW 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.160.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.771.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 9.09% 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

9.09%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PNW
9.09%
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%
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 11.59%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

PNW

Utilities industry group

11.59%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
PNW
11.59%
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%
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 31.70% 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

31.70%

Max
53.83%
PNW
31.70%
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%
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
ROE (TTM)9.09%8.13%
ROA (TTM)2.36%3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)11.59%21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)31.70%38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)43.84%57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 4.20% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WTRG.

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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at -3.63% 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.

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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.20%18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)7.28%2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.63%1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.83%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 0.71 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

0.71

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
PNW
0.71
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
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 2.26 uses more debt funding than most peers.

PNW

Utilities industry group

2.26

Max
2.63
PNW
2.26
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
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.710.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.261.23
Net Debt / EBITDA7.676.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 3.51% and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

PNW

Utilities industry group

3.51%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
PNW
3.51%
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%
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 68.42% 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

68.42%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PNW
68.42%
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%
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.51%3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)68.42%69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 19.59 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

19.59

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
PNW
19.59
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
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 2.21 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.

PNW

Utilities industry group

2.21

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
PNW
2.21
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
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) 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 Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) at 1.69 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PNW

Utilities industry group

1.69

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PNW
1.69
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
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Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPNWWTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)19.5922.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.215.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.691.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.90%-5.45%