The earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
The earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A better indicator of the attractiveness of an investment which takes growth into account is the Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. Essential Utilities's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 4.02%. The Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
If the P/E ratio is an indication of how many years it takes for the company to earn back the stock price shareholders pay to buy the shares, the earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
If a company loses money, the earnings yield is negative. This gives a more straightforward indication that the company is losing money. This is an advantage of using earnings yield instead of the P/E ratio in valuation. For valuation purposes, the P/B Ratio and the P/S Ratio should be used for companies that are losing money.
Like the P/E ratio, the earnings yield can be used to compare investments in different industries. It can even be used to compare the attractiveness of different asset classes such as bonds and cash. Of course, the earnings yield should not be the only factor in deciding which asset classes to invest.
Also similar to the P/E ratio, the earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A growing company with the same earnings yield should be more attractive than a company that has the same earnings yield but does not grow.
Just like the P/E Ratio, non-recurring items such as selling part of the business, selling a previous investment, etc., can affect earnings yield dramatically. The earning yield is also a poor indication for cyclical companies. When a cyclical stock has a high earnings yield it is usually at the peak of its cycle.
Essential Utilities Earnings Yield % Related Terms
Essential Utilities's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was €1.694 Mil.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A) has a Earnings Yield % of 5.01% as of Jul. 08, 2026. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Essential Utilities and its competitors.
Is Essential Utilities' Earnings Yield % too high?
Essential Utilities' current Earnings Yield % is 5.01%. Overall, Essential Utilities has a GF Score™ of 71/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Essential Utilities' Earnings Yield % compare to AWR and CWT?
Essential Utilities' Earnings Yield % of 5.01% can be compared against companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Yield % for an Utilities - Regulated company?
A good Earnings Yield % depends on the Utilities - Regulated industry context. However, Earnings Yield % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Yield % mean?
A high Earnings Yield % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Essential Utilities and its competitors. Essential Utilities's current Earnings Yield % is 5.01%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Essential Utilities stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €36.47, compared to a current price of €33.82 — trading 7.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Yield % is 5.01%. Essential Utilities' overall GF Score™ is 71/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Yield % calculated?
Earnings Yield % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A), the current Earnings Yield % is 5.01% as of Jul. 08, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Essential Utilities stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €33.82 is trading 7.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of €36.47.
GuruFocus considers Essential Utilities to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for HAM:A2A:
Earnings Yield %: 5.01%
GF Value™: €36.47 vs. price of €33.82 (7.3% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the HAM:A2A stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Essential Utilities is a Pennsylvania-based holding company for US water, wastewater, and natural gas distribution utilities. The company's water business serves 3 million people in eight states. Its largest service territory is in Pennsylvania, primarily suburban Philadelphia. Its Peoples subsidiary serves more than 740,000 gas distribution customers in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. It completed the sale of its West Virginia gas utility and the bulk of its nonregulated assets in 2024. Essential shareholders would own a 31% stake in American Water Works if the proposed all-stock merger closes in 2027.
71GF Score
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Earnings Yield % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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