Quadrant Capital Group LLC Sells 697 Shares of Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG)

Quadrant Capital Group LLC lessened its stake in Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) by 9.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 6,966 shares of the company’s stock after selling 697 shares during the period. Quadrant Capital Group LLC’s holdings in Essential Utilities were worth $253,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Essential Utilities in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its stake in Essential Utilities by 75.0% in the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,104 shares of the company’s stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 473 shares in the last quarter. New Age Alpha Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Essential Utilities in the fourth quarter worth $45,000. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Essential Utilities during the fourth quarter worth $60,000. Finally, Crews Bank & Trust purchased a new stake in shares of Essential Utilities during the 4th quarter valued at $90,000. 74.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Essential Utilities Stock Performance

WTRG opened at $37.51 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. Essential Utilities, Inc. has a 12-month low of $33.18 and a 12-month high of $41.78. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $37.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $37.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.33 billion, a PE ratio of 18.75, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.80.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 26th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.66 by $0.01. Essential Utilities had a net margin of 27.84% and a return on equity of 7.89%. The firm had revenue of $604.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $698.77 million. On average, analysts anticipate that Essential Utilities, Inc. will post 1.99 EPS for the current year.

Essential Utilities Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 13th will be given a $0.3255 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 13th. This represents a $1.30 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.47%. Essential Utilities’s dividend payout ratio is presently 59.91%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WTRG has been the topic of several research analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded Essential Utilities from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 4th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Essential Utilities from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 27th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $42.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Essential Utilities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $41.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Essential Utilities from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Essential Utilities presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $43.50.

Essential Utilities Profile

Essential Utilities, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates regulated utilities that provide water, wastewater, or natural gas services in the United States. The company operates through Regulated Water and Regulated Natural Gas segments. It offers water services through operating and maintenance contract with municipal authorities and other parties.