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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Essential Utilities (WTRG). Shares have added about 2.9% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Essential Utilities due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
Analysts were quiet during the last two month period as none of them issued any earnings estimate revisions.
VGM Scores
Currently, Essential Utilities has a subpar Growth Score of D, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a C. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook
Essential Utilities has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
Essential Utilities belongs to the Zacks Utility - Water Supply industry. Another stock from the same industry, American States Water (AWR), has gained 0.1% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended December 2024.
American States Water reported revenues of $143.1 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +14.3%. EPS of $0.69 for the same period compares with $0.55 a year ago.
For the current quarter, American States Water is expected to post earnings of $0.73 per share, indicating a change of +17.7% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
American States Water has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of F.
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Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG) : Free Stock Analysis Report
American States Water Company (AWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).