WTRG dividend capture — median 2d pre-ex touch, 100% /30d touch rate over 20 ex-dates. Next ex-date, event history, after-tax calculator & simulator.
How this company returns cash to shareholders — buybacks, dividends, and stock splits.
How this company returns cash to shareholders — buybacks, dividends, and stock splits.
Essential Utilities (WTRG) has touched its pre-ex close within 30 trading days in 100% of the last 20 ex-dividend events, with a median time-to-touch of 2 trading days (limit-order recovery basis). The dividend is below the typical daily price swing (signal-to-noise 0.35), meaning ordinary day-to-day noise can easily exceed the dividend itself.
Versus its sector, WTRG sits roughly in line with the Utilities sector benchmark of 95%. The sector median time-to-touch is 1 trading day, so this ticker touches more slowly than peers.
Historical base rates are not predictions; transaction costs, slippage, and ordinary-income tax on short holding periods can materially reduce realized profit. The next confirmed ex-dividend date is Aug 11, 2026, with an expected dividend of $0.36.
Touch rate (30d)
100%
Median days-to-touch
2d
Signal-to-noise
0.35
TL;DR over the most recent 20 events.
| Metric | Value | vs sector |
|---|---|---|
| 30-day touch rate | 100% | +5pp vs sector |
| Median days-to-touch | 2d | +1.0d vs sector |
| Signal-to-noise (div / ATR) | 0.35 | -0.11 vs sector |
| Avg gap on ex-date | -0.80% | -0.11pp vs sector |
| Win rate at MOC exit | 60% | — |
| Median drawdown during hold | -2.81% | +0.94pp vs sector |
| Best / worst touch (days) | 1 / 11 | — |
Confirmed by company declaration.
Dividend
$0.36
Per-event yield
0.96%
Annualized yield
3.58%
Previously paid
May 12, 2026 ($0.34)
Last record date
May 12, 2026
Last payment date
Jun 1, 2026
Per-event gap on ex-date, the pre-ex close used as the touch target, trading days to first intraday highat or above that level, plus 5/30-day touch flags, drawdown and 5-day P&L for Essential Utilities (WTRG). For a stricter close-at-bell exit timeline, use the simulator below (MOC mode). td = trading days from ex-date.
| Recovered 5d | Recovered 30d | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 | $0.34 | -0.43% | $37.57 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.03% | -0.31% | |
| Q1 | $0.34 | -0.43% | $37.42 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.81% | +6.74% | |
| Q4 | $0.34 | -1.27% | $39.46 | 2 | yes | yes | -3.40% | -2.10% | |
| Q3 | $0.34 | -0.97% | $39.02 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.23% | +1.34% | |
| Q2 | $0.33 | -1.05% | $39.12 | 5 | yes | yes | -6.95% | +1.32% | |
| Q1 | $0.33 | -0.94% | $35.16 | 2 | yes | yes | -1.65% | +2.35% | |
| Q4 | $0.33 | -1.08% | $39.78 | 9 | no | yes | -4.12% | -1.27% | |
| Q3 | $0.33 | -1.04% | $39.51 | 2 | yes | yes | -1.87% | +1.36% | |
| Q2 | $0.31 | -0.78% | $38.69 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.42% | +2.65% | |
| Q1 | $0.31 | -1.26% | $35.60 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.64% | +2.55% | |
| Q4 | $0.31 | -0.93% | $34.55 | 4 | yes | yes | -3.68% | +3.09% | |
| Q3 | $0.31 | -0.35% | $39.82 | 1 | yes | yes | -8.69% | -5.18% | |
| Q2 | $0.29 | -0.58% | $42.97 | 2 | yes | yes | -6.61% | -5.15% | |
| Q1 | $0.29 | -0.56% | $46.23 | 1 | yes | yes | -3.09% | -0.94% | |
| Q4 | $0.29 | -1.01% | $44.71 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.04% | +6.21% | |
| Q3 | $0.29 | -0.39% | $51.52 | 1 | yes | yes | -2.48% | +2.05% | |
| Q2 | $0.27 | -0.60% | $43.14 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.25% | +6.49% | |
| Q1 | $0.27 | -1.17% | $46.92 | 11 | no | yes | -4.71% | -1.54% | |
| Q4 | $0.27 | -0.66% | $47.25 | 1 | yes | yes | -1.23% | +0.80% | |
| Q3 | $0.27 | -0.43% | $49.12 | 2 | yes | yes | -2.81% | -0.11% |
First trading session whose intraday high reached the pre-ex close within the 30-day measurement window. td = trading days from ex-date.
| Touch window | Distribution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1 day | 7 | 35% | |
| 2–3 days | 9 | 45% | |
| 4–5 days | 2 | 10% | |
| 6–10 days | 1 | 5% | |
| 11–30 days | 1 | 5% | |
| 30+ | 0 | 0% |
Pre-filled with WTRG's next expected dividend and recent close. Adjust tax rate, holding period and slippage to estimate after-tax capture yield.
U.S. ordinary-income rate (22-37%) applies on holds shorter than 61 days. Hold longer to qualify for the 0/15/20% qualified-dividend rate.
Replay every historical WTRG ex-dividend with two exit strategies: a GTC limit-order at the pre-ex close, or hold for N days and exit at MOC. Pick the window and quarter filter that matches your plan.
Linked to your history table
These backtests use the same ex-dividend rows as Dividend Capture History on this page — 20 events loaded.
Quarter filter is All — every row in the table above is included here. Change quarter below to match the slice you want to stress-test.
Sell back at the pre-ex close on the first intraday touch within the window. If it never touches, exit at MOC after the window expires (stop-loss).
Figures are gross — before tax, commissions, and slippage. Percents are per-event return on capital at entry (pre-ex close).
Avg P&L per trade (20 events)
+0.54%
Win rate (20 trades)
90%
Cumulative P&L
+10.89%
Buy & hold (same sample)
-10.22%
Best event
+0.93%
Worst event
-1.54%
Cumulative P&L (equity curve)
Vertical axis: cumulative sum of per-event % (same units as the headline cumulative). Hover the line for exact values.
Per-event P&L distribution
20 trades in this sample · bar height ∝ count in each bucket (gross % per event).
Scenario P&L by event · WTRG (20)
Scenario P&L — updates with exit mode, window, and quarter. History adds gap, touch, drawdown, and a fixed P&L 5d % (MOC). Same per-row % as that column only for MOC + 5d on the same rows. Oldest → newest, gross pre-ex close basis.
| Ex-date | P&L |
|---|---|
| +0.55% | |
| +0.57% | |
| -1.54% | |
| +0.62% | |
| +0.56% | |
| +0.64% | |
| +0.62% | |
| +0.67% | |
| +0.77% | |
| +0.89% | |
| +0.86% | |
| +0.79% | |
| +0.82% | |
| -1.27% | |
| +0.93% | |
| +0.83% | |
| +0.88% | |
| +0.87% | |
| +0.92% | |
| +0.91% |
Results are illustrative only and are not financial advice. Capture simulations use historical prices and simplified costs and tax assumptions. Actual fills, borrow fees, and market rules vary. Consult a qualified advisor before trading.
Deep-dives across the income statement, cash flow, capital return, and valuation
How this company returns cash to shareholders — buybacks, dividends, and stock splits.
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