The significant EPS miss will likely pressure the stock near-term; watch for analyst revisions and Q2 2026 guidance updates on the earnings call. The reaffirmed merger timeline provides a floor but does not offset the quarterly disappointment.
Price Chart
Executive Summary
Essential Utilities reported Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $0.83, missing consensus of $1.01 by 17.8%, while revenue grew 10% YoY to $861.8M. The company affirmed its long-term 5-7% EPS CAGR guidance and merger timeline unchanged, but the earnings miss overshadows the top-line growth.
Key Financial Metrics
Key Facts
- Adjusted EPS $0.83 vs consensus $1.01 (miss of 17.8%)
- GAAP EPS declined to $0.79 from $1.03 YoY due to prior-year non-recurring benefits
- Revenue $861.8M, +10% YoY
- Affirmed 5-7% EPS CAGR guidance from 2024 adjusted base of $1.97 through 2027
- Merger with American Water remains on track for Q1 2027; received Kentucky regulatory approval
- Issued $500M senior notes at 5.125% in March 2026
Financial Impact
Adjusted EPS miss of $0.18 per share vs consensus; GAAP net income fell to $224.4M from $283.8M YoY
Risk Factors
- Analyst downgrades due to EPS miss
- Regulatory hurdles remaining for American Water merger
- Higher interest expense from recent debt issuance
Market Snapshot
Investment Themes
Documents Analyzed
This report is based on 6 SEC documents filed with EDGAR.
| Document | Accession Number |
|---|---|
| 8-K Filing (Primary) | 0001552781-26-000307 |
| Document: e26241_wtrg-8k.htm | 0001552781-26-000307 |
| Document: 0001552781-26-000307-index-headers.html | 0001552781-26-000307 |
| Document: 0001552781-26-000307-index.html | 0001552781-26-000307 |
| Document: 0001552781-26-000307.txt | 0001552781-26-000307 |
| 8-K Data (Synthetic) | 0001552781-26-000307 |
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 9, 2026 22d ago | 425 | $41.80 $41.62 | ▼ −0.43% | ▲ +0.07% | $39.34 (−5.89%) |
Aug 5, 2026 8w ago | 8-K | $39.59 $39.75 | ▲ +0.41% | ▲ +0.06% | $39.34 (−0.63%) |
Jun 23, 2026 14w ago | 425 | $37.78 $38.03 | ▲ +0.66% | ▼ −1.05% | $39.34 (+4.13%) |
May 29, 2026 17w ago | 425 | $36.07 $37.36 | ▲ +3.56% | ▲ +6.32% | $39.34 (+9.05%) |
May 29, 2026 17w ago | 425 | $36.07 $37.36 | ▲ +3.56% | ▲ +6.32% | $39.34 (+9.05%) |
May 15, 2026 19w ago | 425 | $37.08 $37.12 | ▲ +0.11% | ▼ −1.51% | $39.34 (+6.08%) |
May 8, 2026 20w ago | S-3ASR | $37.43 $37.08 | ▼ −0.94% | ▼ −0.85% | $39.34 (+5.09%) |
May 7, 2026 21w ago | 8-K | $37.65 $37.90 | ▼ −0.65% | ▲ +0.85% | $39.34 (−4.48%) |
Apr 24, 2026 22w ago | 425 | $39.31 $37.93 | ▼ −3.51% | ▼ −3.91% | $39.34 (+0.07%) |
Apr 10, 2026 24w ago | 425 | $39.45 $39.68 | ▲ +0.58% | ▼ −2.71% | $39.34 (−0.29%) |
US Market Status
Subscribe to SecBot
Get Real-Time SEC Filing Intelligence
Comprehensive SEC filing analysis delivered the moment filings hit EDGAR. Sentiment scoring, impact analysis, and actionable insights for every material event.
Try SecBot Free Coming soon: SecBot Pro with alerts, watchlists, and API access