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Data last updated: Oct 19, 2026
Snapshot (as of Oct 19, 2026): Essential Utilities, Inc. (WTRG) pays a $1.37 annual dividend ($0.36 quarterly), yielding 3.53% at $40.83/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-08-11. 38 consecutive years of dividend growth (Dividend Aristocrat). Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.
Dividend Yield: 3.53%
Annual Dividend: $1.37 per share
Payout Ratio: 69.9%
Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-08-11
Dividend Frequency: quarterly
Sector: Utilities
Years of Dividend History: 42
Essential Utilities, Inc. dividend has been paid without interruption for over four decades, backed by water, wastewater, and natural gas services reaching roughly 7.5 million customers across ten states. WTRG currently yields 3.51%, with a trailing annual dividend rate of $1.3884 per share paid quarterly. The next ex-dividend date is August 11, 2026, and the last payment was $0.3606 per share. A beta of 0.632 reflects low price volatility, making this Dividend Aristocrat a natural fit for income-focused investors who prioritize predictability over price swings.
Essential Utilities, Inc. pays out 69.8% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as elevated (60–75%). That level is supported by the company's regulated utility operations, which serve approximately 7.5 million customers with water, wastewater, and natural gas, services that generate recurring demand regardless of economic conditions. Essential Utilities, Inc. dividend safety rests on that demand base, though a payout ratio near the upper end of the elevated range leaves limited room to absorb earnings pressure without affecting dividend growth.
Essential Utilities, Inc. dividend history shows a CAGR of 7.2% per year from 2011 to 2025. The per-share annual dividend grew from $0.5040 to $1.3362 over that period (2026 data is partial and excluded from this calculation). The smallest annual increase in the window was 5.6% in 2025, which means even in its softest year, Essential Utilities, Inc. still delivered a raise above the rate of inflation.
| Period | CAGR | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Year | +6.4% | $1.11 (2022) | $1.34 (2025) |
| 5-Year | +6.6% | $0.97 (2020) | $1.34 (2025) |
| 10-Year | +6.9% | $0.69 (2015) | $1.34 (2025) |
WTRG fits income-focused investors who want a regulated utility with a long, unbroken raise history. The yield sits in the moderate (2–4%) range at 3.51%, above its 5-year average of 3.0%, which means buyers today are getting more income per dollar than the historical norm. Thirty-eight consecutive years of increases earns WTRG its Dividend Aristocrat status, and that streak is the defining characteristic of this stock. The trade-off is a 69.8% payout ratio that leaves less cushion for acceleration, so growth is steady but not fast. Essential Utilities, Inc. offers income with predictability, not income with upside.
WTRG is a Dividend Aristocrat with 38 consecutive years of dividend increases.
| Payment Date | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| 2026-08-11 | $0.3606 |
| 2026-05-12 | $0.3426 |
| 2026-02-09 | $0.3426 |
| 2025-11-12 | $0.3426 |
| 2025-08-12 | $0.3426 |
| 2025-05-13 | $0.3255 |
| 2025-02-10 | $0.3255 |
| 2024-11-12 | $0.3255 |
| 2024-08-12 | $0.3255 |
| 2024-05-09 | $0.3071 |
| Year | Total Dividends |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $1.0458 |
| 2025 | $1.3362 |
| 2024 | $1.2652 |
| 2023 | $1.1882 |
| 2022 | $1.1104 |
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