ING Groep NV vs Essential Utilities Inc. Common Stock — how do they compare? ING Groep NV trades at $33.42 (market cap $94.92B), while Essential Utilities Inc. Common Stock trades at $39.82 (market cap $11.15B). The key difference: ING Groep NV is far larger — about 8.5× Essential Utilities Inc. Common Stock's market cap, and ING Groep NV pays the higher dividend (3.93%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold ING Groep NV for 94 Days and Essential Utilities Inc. Common Stock for 0 Days on average.
| ING | WTRG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $94.92B | $11.15B |
Volume | 2,055,666 | 1,760,234 |
Sector | Financials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $37.27 | $42.00 |
52-Week Low | $23.66 | $36.25 |
Typical Hold Time | 94 Days | 0 Days |
Enterprise Value | $237.77B | $19.66B |
Dividend Yield | 3.93% | 3.67% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ING trades at $33.46, up 0.21% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.79 exceeding the $0.75 estimate. Revenue reached $22.90 billion in 2025, with a net income margin of 28.34%. Analyst sentiment is positive, with 11 buy ratings and no sell ratings among 17 analysts. Recent news highlights an upgraded ROE target above 16% for 2027 and strategic focus on organic growth.
The outlook for ING is cautiously optimistic, supported by earnings momentum and favorable analyst coverage. Key opportunities include revenue growth and profitability targets, while risks involve persistent negative operating cash flows and regulatory scrutiny, such as recent capital requirements in Australia. The stock's valuation metrics, including a P/E of 12.99, suggest reasonable pricing relative to earnings.
WTRG trades at $39.29, up 0.36% with neutral technical signals. The stock shows mixed earnings performance with two beats and one miss in recent quarters, while maintaining strong profitability margins (21.6% net income margin). Analyst consensus is bullish with a $44.50 price target, supported by ongoing acquisitions and pending merger developments with American Water.
The stock presents a stable utility investment with moderate growth potential through strategic acquisitions, though near-term earnings volatility and integration risks from the pending merger warrant caution. Current valuation at 20.15 P/E appears reasonable given the company's consistent cash flow generation and defensive sector positioning.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
The merger of the Dutch postal bank and NN Insurance in 1991 created ING. Through a series of further acquisitions ING build up a global footprint. The 2008 financial crisis forced ING to seek government support--a precondition of which was that ING should separate its banking and insurance activities, which saw ING revert to being solely a bank. ING has market- leading banking operations in the Netherlands and Belgium, and a range of digital banks across Europe and Australia. Its global wholesale banking operation is primarily focused on lending.
Read more on ING →Essential Utilities Inc. is a holding company for regulated water, wastewater, and natural gas utilities, operating under the Aqua and Peoples brands. It serves customers across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, and Kentucky.
Read more on WTRG →