Essential UtilitiesHAM:A2A +0.06%74 ROA % is 4.60% as of Mar. 2026, which is 50% above its 10-year median of 3.06. GuruFocus rates HAM:A2A with a GF Score™ of 74/100 and a GF Value™ of €35.55 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 513 Utilities - Regulated companies, Essential Utilities ranks worse than 52.05% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Essential Utilities's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €776 Mil.
Essential Utilities's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €16,866 Mil. Therefore, Essential Utilities's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 4.60%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Essential Utilities's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
HAM:A2A'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 2.47 Med: 3.06 Max: 3.94
Current: 2.93
During the past 13 years, Essential Utilities's highest ROA % was 3.94%. The lowest was 2.47%. And the median was 3.06%.
HAM:A2A's ROA % is ranked worse than 52.05% of 513
companies
in the Utilities - Regulated industry
Industry Median: 3.05
vs HAM:A2A: 2.93
Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Essential Utilities ROA % Related Terms
Essential Utilities ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Essential Utilities's ROA % can be seen below:
* 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.
For the Utilities - Regulated Water subindustry, Essential Utilities's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Essential Utilities ROA % vs Utilities - Regulated Industry
For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Essential Utilities's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Essential Utilities's ROA % falls into.
* 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.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A) has a ROA % of 4.60% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Essential Utilities and its competitors. This is 50% above median its historical median of 3.06. Over the past decade, Essential Utilities' ROA % has ranged from 2.47 to 3.94. According to the industry distribution chart, Essential Utilities ranks #267 out of 513 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 52%.
Is Essential Utilities' ROA % too high?
Essential Utilities' current ROA % of 4.60% is 50% above median its 10-year median of 3.06. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 2.47 to a high of 3.94. The Utilities - Regulated industry median ROA % is 3.05. Essential Utilities' value of 4.60% is 50.8% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Essential Utilities ranks #267 out of 513 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Essential Utilities has a GF Score™ of 74/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Essential Utilities' ROA % compare to AWR and CWT?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Essential Utilities ranks #267 out of 513 companies for ROA %. This places Essential Utilities in the lower half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 3.05. Essential Utilities' value of 4.60% is 50.8% above this benchmark. Historically, Essential Utilities' own ROA % has ranged from 2.47 to 3.94 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 3.06 vs. the industry median of 3.05, Essential Utilities has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROA % for an Utilities - Regulated company?
The median ROA % among Utilities - Regulated companies is 3.05, based on 513 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Essential Utilities's current ROA % of 4.60% is 50.8% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Essential Utilities and its competitors. For the Utilities - Regulated industry, the median ROA % is 3.05 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Essential Utilities's current ROA % is 4.60%, which is 50% above median its own 10-year median of 3.06. 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 €35.55, compared to a current price of €32.61 — trading 8.3% below its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 4.60%, which is 50% above median its 10-year median of 3.06 and 50.8% above the Utilities - Regulated industry median of 3.05. Essential Utilities' overall GF Score™ is 74/100 with 7 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Essential Utilities (HAM:A2A), the current ROA % is 4.60% as of Mar. 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 €32.61 is trading 8.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of €35.55.
GuruFocus considers Essential Utilities to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for HAM:A2A:
ROA %: 4.60% (50% above median its 10-year median of 3.06)
GF Value™: €35.55 vs. price of €32.61 (8.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 50.8% above the Utilities - Regulated median (#267 of 513)
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.
74GF Score
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