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WTRG vs. XEL: Essential Utilities vs. Xcel Energy Stock Comparison

How do Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
Profile ItemWTRGXEL
NameEssential Utilities Inc.Xcel Energy Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryWater UtilitiesElectric Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryWater UtilitiesElectric Utilities
Market Capitalization13.02 billion USD51.14 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WTRG
XEL
GSPC
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL), 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Total Return (1Y)19.07%2.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.95%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.39%8.26%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WTRG
XEL
GSPC
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL), 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.14%19.49%
Beta (5Y)0.610.33
Max Drawdown (5Y)-36.53%-34.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.38M5.83M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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WTRG and XEL 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 Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.67-0.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.08-0.12

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 8.13% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 11.44% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

8.13%

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

XEL

Utilities industry group

11.44%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
XEL
11.44%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 21.79% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 17.95% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

21.79%

Max
28.78%
WTRG
21.79%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

XEL

Utilities industry group

17.95%

Max
28.78%
XEL
17.95%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): 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 Xcel Energy (XEL) at 28.50%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

38.94%

Max
53.83%
WTRG
38.94%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

XEL

Utilities industry group

28.50%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
XEL
28.50%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
ROE (TTM)8.13%11.44%
ROA (TTM)3.00%2.37%
Net Margin (TTM)21.79%17.95%
Operating Margin (TTM)38.94%28.50%
Gross Margin (TTM)57.07%47.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 18.62% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Xcel Energy (XEL) at 9.14% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for WTRG.

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

EPS Growth

Both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.38% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at -0.58% 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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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Revenue Growth (YoY)18.62%9.14%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.65%-1.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.38%-0.58%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.52%2.56%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 0.69 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.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

0.40

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

XEL

Utilities industry group

0.69

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
XEL
0.69
Q1
0.66
Min
0.29
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.23 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.68 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.23

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
WTRG
1.23
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

XEL

Utilities industry group

1.68

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
XEL
1.68
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.400.69
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.231.68
Net Debt / EBITDA6.306.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 3.01% and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 2.92% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

3.01%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WTRG
3.01%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

XEL

Utilities industry group

2.92%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
XEL
2.92%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 54.72% 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.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

69.42%

Max
113.04%
WTRG
69.42%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

XEL

Utilities industry group

54.72%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
XEL
54.72%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.01%2.92%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)69.42%54.72%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 22.73 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 18.57 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

22.73

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WTRG
22.73
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

XEL

Utilities industry group

18.57

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
XEL
18.57
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Xcel Energy (XEL) at 3.44 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.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

5.01

Max
6.35
WTRG
5.01
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

XEL

Utilities industry group

3.44

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
XEL
3.44
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Essential Utilities (WTRG) at 1.83 and Xcel Energy (XEL) at 1.98 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

WTRG

Utilities industry group

1.83

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
WTRG
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

XEL

Utilities industry group

1.98

Max
3.12
Q3
2.21
XEL
1.98
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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Essential Utilities (WTRG) vs. Xcel Energy (XEL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Essential Utilities (WTRG) and Xcel Energy (XEL)
MetricWTRGXEL
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.7318.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.013.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.831.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-5.45%-16.32%