- Price is above the Trend Line, keeping the weekly tape constructive.
- Price is above Fair Value, showing premium demand versus the model.
- Activity pressure is positive on the latest completed week.
WTRG
NYSE
Week ended 24 Jul 2026
Weekly Investor Report
Essential Utilities Inc · Utilities · Utilities - Regulated Water
Latest close
39.61 USD
-0.2%
latest week
Weekly setup
Mixed setup
The weekly trend is not active. Price is 2.6% above the Trend Line and sits at 70.5% of its 52-week range. The latest completed week returned -0.2%, after a 2.5% four-week move. The latest factor snapshot indicates quality is middle-of-the-pack; growth is moderate; valuation is neither clearly cheap nor expensive. Options positioning is bullish with 35/100 conviction, while the latest news-sentiment score is 53/100. Near-term considerations: earnings are due in 0d.
Setup score
50
out of 100
Latest Close
39.61 USD
24 Jul 2026
1W Return
-0.2%
latest completed week
4W Return
2.5%
short-term follow-through
12W Return
5.1%
quarterly tape
Trend Breadth
55.8%
29 of 52 weeks active
Volume Ratio
1.0x
vs 13-week average
- The trend backdrop is inactive, so price action has not confirmed a constructive regime.
- Activity pressure is weak, so confirmation is not yet broad enough.
- 3 reversal markers appear in the recent smart-money tape.
- Price is close to its 52-week high; watch for continuation or exhaustion.
- Trend Line remains the key weekly regime level.
- Activity pressure is the gauge to monitor for confirmation or fade.
- A volume ratio above 1.5x would show stronger participation in the next move.
Price follow-through
-0.2%
Latest completed week; four-week move 2.5%.
Indicator stack
31/67
Trend and activity pressure are weighted against the latest 12-week confirmation window.
Trend backdrop
Active
The trend backdrop defines the current weekly regime.
Patient Capital
Quiet
Activity-pressure buy-signal status for institutional accumulation timing.
Options pressure
Bullish
35/100 conviction; expected move 5.2%.
News sentiment
53/100
61 relevant articles in the latest sentiment read.
Event risk
0d
Next report is scheduled for 30 Jul 2026; event risk rises as the date approaches.
01 · Price action
Study the full chart
Where price is—and whether the trend supports it
The weekly trend is not active. Price is 2.6% above the Trend Line and sits at 70.5% of its 52-week range. The latest completed week returned -0.2%, after a 2.5% four-week move.
52-week price path
Price vs Trend Line and Fair Value
Price
Trend Line
Fair Value
02 · Volume and demand
Is real participation confirming the move?
Latest weekly volume is 1.0x the 13-week average. Participation is around or above normal and provides reasonable confirmation.
26-week volume confirmation
Bar height shows volume; colour shows the weekly price direction
30 Jan
6 Feb
13 Feb
20 Feb
27 Feb
6 Mar
13 Mar
20 Mar
27 Mar
3 Apr
10 Apr
17 Apr
24 Apr
1 May
8 May
15 May
22 May
29 May
5 Jun
12 Jun
19 Jun
26 Jun
3 Jul
10 Jul
17 Jul
24 Jul
Up week
Down week
Demand beneath price
Activity pressure and institutional-style signals
These indicators assess whether participation is improving beneath the headline price move. They are supporting evidence, not proof of institutional buying.
Activity pressure path
Latest 0.2312-week average 0.39
12-week confirmation
Trend active0/12Active trend-backdrop weeks in the latest 12-week window.
Positive pressure2/12Weeks with constructive activity pressure in the latest 12-week window.
Positive leadership0/12Weeks with positive relative leadership in the latest 12-week window.
Activity pressure0.23Current proprietary activity-pressure read.
Buy signals0Accumulation signal count in the latest 12 weeks.
Reversal markers33 reversal markers
No recent accumulation markers. 3 reversal markers.
03 · Momentum and leadership
Is performance persistent—and is the stock leading?
Performance is 2.5% over four weeks, 5.1% over 12 weeks, and 10.7% over one year. The current trend has remained active for 0 consecutive weeks.
Performance by holding period
Active trend streak0 weeks
Active weeks in one year29
Trend breadth55.8%
Activity pressure vs relative leadership
Activity pressureRelative leadership
Pressure0.30Latest activity-pressure read.
Pressure change139.8%Four-week change in activity pressure.
Leadership-4.81Latest relative-leadership reading.
RS change25.8%Four-week change in relative leadership.
04 · Fundamentals and valuation
Open full factor analysis
What investors are paying for—and the quality behind it
The latest factor snapshot indicates quality is middle-of-the-pack; growth is moderate; valuation is neither clearly cheap nor expensive.
Factor week 26 Jul 2026
Financial statements through 31 Dec 2025
Field coverage 100%
Model confidence 96%
Relative factor standing
Higher display scores are better. Each score is converted from the underlying universe rank, where rank 1 is best.
Overall factor strength34/100Blend of value, momentum, and quality. Underlying universe rank 67; rank 1 is best.
Value33/100Relative valuation strength. Underlying universe rank 68; rank 1 is best.
Quality70/100Profitability and accounting quality. Underlying universe rank 31; rank 1 is best.
Momentum34/100Medium-term price momentum. Underlying universe rank 67; rank 1 is best.
Growth70/100Revenue and earnings growth. Underlying universe rank 31; rank 1 is best.
Quality and valuation are separate questions
A strong company can still carry a demanding valuation. This report shows profitability, growth, balance-sheet strength, and the price paid for those characteristics separately.
Value-quality framework26/100Value and quality alignment from the Sharemaestro SVQF framework.
Valuation
How much investors are paying for earnings, sales, and cash flow.
- P/E
- 20.2x Price divided by trailing earnings.
- Price / sales
- 4.4x Market value relative to trailing revenue.
- EV / EBITDA
- 14.5x Enterprise value relative to operating cash earnings.
- Free-cash-flow yield
- 12.5% Free cash flow as a share of enterprise value.
Business quality
Margins and the return generated on invested capital.
- Gross margin
- 47.0% Gross profit retained from each unit of revenue.
- Operating margin
- 36.1% Operating profit retained from revenue.
- Free-cash-flow margin
- 96.4% Free cash flow generated from revenue.
- Return on invested capital
- 5.7% Operating return generated on invested capital.
Growth and financial strength
Recent business growth and accounting strength.
- Revenue growth
- 13.1% Latest one-year revenue growth.
- EPS growth
- -9.2% Latest one-year earnings-per-share growth.
- Free-cash-flow growth
- 13.0% Latest one-year free-cash-flow growth.
- Piotroski F-score
- 6/9 Nine-point accounting-strength checklist.
Shareholder return and balance sheet
Cash returned to owners and financial leverage.
- Dividend yield
- 3.5% Cash dividends relative to market value.
- Buyback yield
- -2.2% Net share repurchases relative to market value.
- Shareholder yield
- 1.2% Dividend yield plus net buyback yield.
- Net debt / EBITDA
- 6.2x Balance-sheet debt relative to operating cash earnings.
05 · Ownership, options, and sentiment
What other market participants are doing
Options, insider transactions, market sentiment, and activity-pressure signals can confirm or challenge the price story. None should be used alone.
Options positioningBullish
WTRG shows bullish options pressure with a 35/100 conviction score, put-call volume ratio of 0.31, expected move of 5.2%, and Sharemaestro trend signal inactive.
Conviction35/100
Expected move5.2%
Put/call volume0.31
Insider activity6 / 0
6 acquisitions and 0 disposals in the latest 180-day insider tape.
Acquisitions / disposals over the latest 180 days. Insider activity is context, not a stand-alone signal.News sentiment53/100
Weighted news tone is neutral across 61 relevant articles.
10 positive · 49 neutral · 2 negativePatient CapitalQuiet
Activity-pressure buy-signal evidence highlights potential institutional accumulation windows.
No recent buy signal
06 · Catalysts and risk
What can move the shares—and how volatile the path has been
Event timing, options-implied movement, drawdown, and weekly return distribution frame the risk around the current setup.
Next earnings0dNext report is scheduled for 30 Jul 2026; event risk rises as the date approaches.
Options expected move5.2%Nearest-chain priced movement where available.
52-week drawdown-4.5%Distance below the 52-week high.
13-week volatility2.3%Standard deviation of weekly returns.
Weekly gains and losses
Latest 26 completed weeksEach bar is one week. Gains rise above the zero line; losses fall below it. Taller bars mean a larger weekly move.
30 Jan
27 Feb
27 Mar
24 Apr
22 May
19 Jun
24 Jul
Weeks higher13 of 2613 weeks finished lower.
Best week+7.2%Week of 13 Feb.
Worst week-4.1%Week of 20 Mar.
Latest week-0.2%Week of 24 Jul.
Shape of recent returns
Strong gains2
Modest gains11
Flat weeks0
Modest losses11
Sharp losses2
Recent vol2.3%13-week weekly-return volatility.
Base vol2.6%52-week weekly-return volatility.
Up/down split27/25Count of positive and negative weeks in the 52-week window.
Average skew2.2% / -1.9%Average positive week versus average negative week.
07 · Sector and peer context
Is this stock leading—or simply moving with its group?
Sector and industry breadth distinguish company-specific strength from a broad group move.
SectorUS Utilities
4-week rank23 / 100
Group average-1.9%
Trend breadth53.0%
Trend53.0%active weekly trend signals
MD41.0%positive activity pressure
RS36.0%positive relative leadership
Four-week leaders
IndustryUS Utilities - Regulated Water
4-week rank4 / 13
Group average0.1%
Trend breadth38.5%
Trend38.5%active weekly trend signals
MD69.2%positive activity pressure
RS23.1%positive relative leadership
Four-week leaders
08 · Evidence and weekly data
The underlying research record
Every top-level statement above should be traceable to a stored market, fundamental, event, or positioning observation.
Weekly tape47/100
Trend, activity pressure, participation, and risk combine to a 47/100 tape read.
Indicator analysis10/100Latest 12-week confirmation: trend 0/12, activity pressure 2/12, relative leadership 0/12.
Activity pressure 0.23; 3 reversal markers Factors42/100O'Shaughnessy factor stack blends value, quality, momentum, and confidence.
Buyback Yield rank 79; Small Cap Core rank 72 SVQF26/100Value and quality alignment from the Sharemaestro SVQF framework.
Composite rank 752.0 of 1013 Patient CapitalQuietActivity-pressure buy-signal evidence highlights potential institutional accumulation windows.
No recent buy signal Options40/100WTRG shows bullish options pressure with a 35/100 conviction score, put-call volume ratio of 0.31, expected move of 5.2%, and Sharemaestro trend signal inactive.
Bullish · Call-side pressure · Expected move 5.2% Sentiment53/100Weighted news tone is neutral across 61 relevant articles.
Essential Utilities Inc (WTRG) Shareholder Structure: Major Shareholders & Institutional Holdings Insiders6 / 06 acquisitions and 0 disposals in the latest 180-day insider tape.
Earnings0dNext report is scheduled for 30 Jul 2026; event risk rises as the date approaches.
| Week | Close | Return | Trend Line | Fair Value | Pressure | Leadership | Volume | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jul 2026 | 39.61 USD | -0.2% | 38.62 USD | 36.18 USD | 0.30 | -4.81 | 9.2M | Off |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 39.69 USD | 2.9% | 38.56 USD | 36.17 USD | 0.10 | -5.28 | 10.6M | Off |
| 10 Jul 2026 | 38.58 USD | -2.0% | 38.48 USD | 36.17 USD | -0.27 | -9.50 | 8.0M | Off |
| 3 Jul 2026 | 39.38 USD | 1.9% | 38.44 USD | 36.16 USD | -0.45 | -6.59 | 11.8M | Off |
| 26 Jun 2026 | 38.65 USD | 5.3% | 38.37 USD | 36.13 USD | -0.76 | -6.48 | 11.7M | Off |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 36.70 USD | -2.2% | 38.38 USD | 36.11 USD | -1.02 | -13.47 | 10.9M | Off |
| 12 Jun 2026 | 37.51 USD | 0.4% | 38.47 USD | 36.11 USD | -1.07 | -11.11 | 7.0M | Off |
| 5 Jun 2026 | 37.36 USD | 1.3% | 38.51 USD | 36.11 USD | -1.06 | -11.31 | 9.7M | Off |
| 29 May 2026 | 36.89 USD | -1.5% | 38.56 USD | 36.11 USD | -1.05 | -14.92 | 6.9M | Off |
| 22 May 2026 | 37.44 USD | 1.2% | 38.59 USD | 36.11 USD | -0.95 | -12.84 | 5.9M | Off |
| 15 May 2026 | 37.01 USD | -0.3% | 38.68 USD | 36.10 USD | -0.65 | -13.53 | 8.5M | Off |
| 8 May 2026 | 37.14 USD | -1.5% | 38.79 USD | 36.10 USD | -0.36 | -13.45 | 10.5M | Off |
| 1 May 2026 | 37.69 USD | -3.8% | 38.87 USD | 36.11 USD | 0.05 | -10.66 | 10.0M | Off |
| 24 Apr 2026 | 39.17 USD | 1.3% | 38.89 USD | 36.11 USD | 0.42 | -6.82 | 13.9M | On |
How to use this report
This is a completed-week research summary. It explains the available evidence and its conflicts; it does not predict a guaranteed outcome or replace your own risk assessment. Fundamental figures may refer to an earlier financial reporting period, which is shown above.