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PPL vs. WTRG: PPL vs. Essential Utilities Stock Comparison

How do PPL (PPL) 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

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

Company profile comparison for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Profile ItemPPLWTRG
NamePPL CorporationEssential Utilities Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryElectric UtilitiesWater Utilities
Market Capitalization26.94 billion USD13.02 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PPL
WTRG
GSPC
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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Total Return (1Y)1.73%19.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.47%13.95%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.32%2.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.30%22.14%
Beta (5Y)0.540.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-24.73%-36.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)7.63M2.38M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PPL 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 PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.140.67
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.191.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 8.63% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

8.63%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
PPL
8.63%
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 13.47%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

PPL

Utilities industry group

13.47%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
PPL
13.47%
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%
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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 23.59%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

PPL

Utilities industry group

23.59%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
PPL
23.59%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
ROE (TTM)8.63%8.13%
ROA (TTM)3.20%3.00%
Net Margin (TTM)13.47%21.79%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.59%38.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.09%57.07%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while PPL (PPL) at 6.85% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WTRG.

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

EPS Growth

PPL (PPL) at 32.50% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for PPL.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.85%18.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.59%2.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)32.50%1.38%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)15.95%7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

PPL (PPL) at 0.91 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.91

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
PPL
0.91
Median
0.88
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both PPL (PPL) at 1.35 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.35

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
PPL
1.35
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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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.910.40
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.351.23
Net Debt / EBITDA5.336.30

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPL (PPL) 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

0.00%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
PPL
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%
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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

PPL (PPL) at 65.98% 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

65.98%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
PPL
65.98%
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%3.01%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)65.98%69.42%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both PPL (PPL) at 20.57 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

20.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
PPL
20.57
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
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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

PPL (PPL) at 2.87 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.

PPL

Utilities industry group

2.87

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
PPL
2.87
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
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PPL (PPL) 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 PPL (PPL) at 1.81 and Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PPL

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
PPL
1.81
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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PPL (PPL) vs. Essential Utilities (WTRG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for PPL (PPL) and Essential Utilities (WTRG)
MetricPPLWTRG
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.5722.73
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.875.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.811.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-7.19%-5.45%