Essential Utilities(WTRG) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported GAAP earnings per share of $0.33, a 32% increase year-over-year [5] - Revenues increased by 9.6%, from $435.3 million to $477 million, primarily due to rate increases [14][15] - The company expects to achieve GAAP earnings per share above the guidance range of $2.07-$2.11 due to non-recurring benefits [6][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Both water and natural gas businesses performed well, contributing to the overall growth [5] - The water business contributed $27.9 million to revenue growth, while the natural gas segment added $6.3 million [14][15] - The company has installed 93,000 new Intelis gas meters, exceeding its 2025 goal [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The combined entity from the merger with American Water will serve over 5 million connections across 17 states [3] - The company is well-positioned in a fragmented water industry, with 85% being municipal [4] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The merger with American Water is seen as a transformational opportunity to create a leading water and wastewater utility [3] - The company aims to achieve a compounded annual growth rate of 8% for its combined utility rate base [21] - Focus on expanding water and wastewater business through acquisitions, with $58 million spent on systems serving approximately 10,300 customers [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to deliver consistent growth despite economic fluctuations [21] - The company is committed to maintaining a strong balance sheet and improving cash flow while delivering consistent dividend growth [22] - Management highlighted the importance of infrastructure investment in aging water and wastewater systems [4] Other Important Information - The company has a pending rate case in North Carolina with a requested annualized revenue increase of $96.5 million [18] - The company is actively pursuing opportunities related to data centers, with a $26 million investment in a data center project in Pennsylvania [10][11] Summary of Q&A Session - No questions were taken during this earnings call, with a reminder that the normal Q&A process will resume in the year-end call in February 2026 [24]