Looking for more investing ideas like this one? Get them exclusively at The Dividend Kings. Learn more >>In the world of income investing, few things are as comforting as a Dividend Champion (a publicly traded company with at least 25 straight years of dividend growth) trading at a discount. This is especially the case whenHi, my name is Kody. Aside from my articles here on Seeking Alpha, I am also a regular contributor to Sure Dividend, The Dividend Kings, and iREIT+Hoya Capital. I have been investing sinc ...

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The board of directors of Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.3426 per share, payable March 2, 2026, to all shareholders of record on February 9, 2026. Essential Utilities has paid consecutive quarterly cash dividends for 80 years and has increased the dividend 35 times in the last 34 years. About Essential Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individ ...

Core Perspective - Demand for water, wastewater, and gas services remains constant due to essential needs, supported by regulatory frameworks that allow companies to earn stable revenues [1] Company Insights - The company operates in a regulated environment that ensures consistent demand for its services, which is crucial for financial stability and growth [1] Industry Analysis - The water and gas sectors are characterized by steady demand, making them resilient against economic fluctuations, thus presenting a stable investment opportunity [1]

Core Perspective - Demand for water, wastewater, and gas services remains constant due to essential needs, providing a reliable revenue stream for companies in this sector [1]. Company Insights - The regulatory environment supports companies in earning consistent profits, enhancing their financial stability [1].

BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) announced today it named Alexis Rodriguez as Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development. Rodriguez has been with Essential for five years. He joined the company in 2020 as manager in the Strategy and Corporate Development team. In his new role, Rodriguez will lead the execution of Essential's strategic initiatives, as well as the execution of Aqua's growth opportunities. For this new role, he will report to Aqua Pr. ...

Core Insights - Essential Utilities Inc. announced the successful results of its 2025-2026 United Way campaign and its fifth annual Fall for Food Banks initiative, mobilizing employees across its nine-state footprint [1] - The company raised a total of $1,277,325 to support local communities facing food insecurity and other challenges [1] - More than $755,000 was raised through individual pledges from employees during the United Way campaign [1]

Core Viewpoint - Aqua Pennsylvania has successfully completed a PFAS treatment system at its Edgely Water Treatment Facility, marking a significant step in addressing water quality standards for "forever chemicals" in drinking water [1] Group 1: Company Developments - The Edgely Water Treatment Facility is the tenth PFAS treatment facility that Aqua Pennsylvania has operationalized since 2018 [1] - The new treatment system at Edgely features six filters utilizing ion exchange resin to effectively remove PFAS from drinking water [1] Group 2: Industry Standards - All PFAS treatment facilities established by Aqua Pennsylvania comply with the new national drinking water standard for PFAS [1] - The Edgely facility's treatment system is designed to serve nearly 11,000 customers, highlighting the company's commitment to improving public health and safety [1]

Core Insights - Essential Utilities Inc. has been recognized on Newsweek's Most Responsible Companies 2026 list, highlighting its commitment to integrity, respect, and excellence in providing essential resources [1]. Company Overview - Essential Utilities Inc. is one of the largest publicly traded providers of water, wastewater, and natural gas in the United States [1]. - The company emphasizes its dedication to protecting and providing Earth's essential resources [1].

Core Viewpoint - Companies with a strong history of dividend payments and increases are attractive to income-focused investors, with Open Text, Restaurant Brands, and Essential Utilities recently announcing dividend hikes and offering yields over 3% [1] Open Text - Open Text Corp. is an information management software company that assists businesses in organizing, storing, and protecting data [2] - The company has raised its dividend for 12 consecutive years, with a recent increase of 5% to $0.2750 per share, translating to an annual payout of $1.10 per share [3] - The current dividend yield for Open Text is 3.30% [3] - As of September 30, the company's annual revenue was $5.19 billion, and it reported Q1 2026 revenues of $1.29 billion and EPS of $1.05, both exceeding consensus estimates [4] Restaurant Brands International - Restaurant Brands International Inc. operates well-known quick-service restaurant brands including Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs [5] - The company has increased its dividends for 10 consecutive years, with a recent hike from $0.58 to $0.62 per share, equating to an annual payout of $2.48 per share [6] - The current dividend yield for Restaurant Brands is 3.65% [6] - As of September 30, the company's annual revenue was $9.26 billion, and it reported Q3 2025 EPS of $1.03 and revenues of $2.45 billion, both surpassing consensus estimates [7] Essential Utilities - Essential Utilities Inc. provides water, wastewater, and natural gas services in the U.S. [7] - The company has increased its dividends for 34 consecutive years, with a recent hike of 5.25% to $0.3426 per share, resulting in an annual payout of $1.37 per share [8] - The current dividend yield for Essential Utilities is 3.54% [8]

Core Viewpoint - The Zacks Utility - Water Supply industry is essential for providing clean drinking water and efficient sewer services, with a focus on infrastructure upgrades to meet growing demand and address aging pipelines [1][2][3]. Industry Overview - The industry consists of companies providing drinking water and wastewater services across a vast network of nearly 2.2 million miles of aging pipelines, requiring continuous investment in infrastructure [3]. - Water utilities benefit from lower interest rates, which reduce financing costs and support infrastructure investments [4]. - The U.S. water industry is fragmented, with over 50,000 community water systems and 14,000 wastewater treatment facilities, leading to inefficiencies that consolidation could address [5]. Investment Needs - The U.S. water infrastructure is deteriorating, with an estimated $1.25 trillion needed over the next 20 years for upgrades, while the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has committed $50 billion for improvements [6]. - The American Society of Civil Engineers rates U.S. drinking water infrastructure at C- and wastewater systems at D+, highlighting the urgent need for upgrades [6]. Market Performance - The Zacks Utility Water Supply industry has underperformed compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite and the broader utilities sector over the past 12 months, gaining 6.1% versus 12.5% for the sector and 12.4% for the S&P 500 [11]. - The industry is currently trading at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 15.89X, lower than the S&P 500's 17.94X and the sector's 15.92X [14]. Earnings Outlook - The Zacks Utility Water Supply industry has a positive earnings outlook, with an aggregate earnings estimate of $2.27 indicating year-over-year growth of 7.1% [9]. - The Zacks Industry Rank 97 places the industry in the top 40% of over 243 Zacks industries, suggesting bullish prospects for the near term [7][8]. Company Highlights - **American States Water Company (AWR)**: Plans to invest $180-$210 million in 2025 for infrastructure upgrades, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 5.65% and a current dividend yield of 2.75% [18][19]. - **American Water Works Company (AWK)**: Aims to invest $3.3 billion in 2025 and $19-$20 billion from 2026 to 2030 for infrastructure strengthening, with a long-term earnings growth rate of 6.77% and a current dividend yield of 2.49% [23][24]. - **Essential Utilities Inc. (WTRG)**: Plans to invest $7.8 billion from 2025 to 2029 for pipeline rehabilitation, with a current dividend yield of 3.42% [27][28].