What does regulated operation — capex mean?

The cash spent on building or upgrading utility infrastructure like pipes, plants, and equipment.

How do you interpret regulated operation — capex?

Higher spending indicates active investment in infrastructure, which is necessary for long-term growth in regulated utilities.

How does regulated operation — capex compare across companies?

Commonly referred to as 'Capital Expenditures' or 'CapEx' in utility industry investor presentations.

Essential Utilities WTRG Regulated Operation — CapEx

Discontinued — last reported Q4 '16

Similar metrics at other companies

AWK

AWKRegulated Business — Cash paid for capital expenditures

$619M+3.5%

ESTotal — CapEx

$437.7M+15.9%

AEEOperating Segments — CapEx

$701M+25.0%

FEOperating Segments — Payments To Acquire Productive Assets

$673M+22.6%

ESOperating Segments — CapEx

$607.3M+16.0%

AWK

AWKRegulated Businesses — Cash paid for capital expenditures

$657M+20.6%

Other financials

Income statement

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Revenue$861.8M+10.0%

Operating income$310.6M-8.3%

Net income$224.4M-20.9%

EPS (diluted)$0.79-23.3%

Balance sheet

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Cash & equivalents$75.9M+265%

Total debt$8.4B+9.3%

Total equity$6.9B+6.7%

Total assets$19.8B+7.9%

Cash flow

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Operating cash flow$265.4M-11.4%

CapEx$137.7M+25.3%

Free cash flow$127.7M-32.6%

Valuation

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Market cap$10.41B+4.7%

Enterprise value$18.74B+6.3%

P/E18.7×+2.5×

P/S4.1×-0.3×

Profitability

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Operating margin35%-3.4pp

Net margin21.8%-5.3pp

FCF margin31.5%+1.6pp

Returns & leverage

See full

Return on equity8.3%-1.4pp

Debt / equity1.2×0.0×

Current ratio1×+0.3×

Where this comes from

Reported directly by Essential Utilities in its filing.

Tagged under the XBRL concept us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment.

The official record: Essential Utilities’s 10-K, filed February 24, 2017, on SEC EDGAR. View the filing →

Questions, answered.

What does regulated operation — capex mean?: The cash spent on building or upgrading utility infrastructure like pipes, plants, and equipment.
How do you interpret regulated operation — capex?: Higher spending indicates active investment in infrastructure, which is necessary for long-term growth in regulated utilities.
How does regulated operation — capex compare across companies?: Commonly referred to as 'Capital Expenditures' or 'CapEx' in utility industry investor presentations.