Middlesex Water Company (MSEX)
NASDAQUtilitiesRegulated WaterSnapshot 2026-10-29
$56.79+2.60%
Close 2026-10-30 · 1-day change
NASDAQUtilitiesRegulated WaterSnapshot 2026-10-29
Research Workspace
Put MSEX beside peers and holdings, graph the same metric, and keep your notes with the evidence.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
Industries move in repeating boom-and-bust cycles. This shows where this stock’s industry sits in that cycle, stage by stage (recovery → expansion → supercycle → steady → deceleration → contraction), from its fundamentals (orders, revenue, capital spending), not the stock’s price.
A booming industry is a tailwind for the names in it; a contracting one is a headwind. Companies in the same industry tend to rise and fall together with the cycle, the way a tide lifts and lowers every boat in the harbor at once, so a large part of a stock’s swing can come from where its industry sits rather than from the company itself. It’s context for reading the company’s results, not a buy/sell call. Full explanation →
Utilities is in steady. Describes the industry's cycle state, not a call on this stock.
The stage band shows the industry’s cycle over the chart’s timeline (each color a stage); a ▼ marks a quarter its growth inflected down — amber is an unconfirmed watch, red is confirmed the next quarter. Use “Overlay cycle on chart” to tint the price chart by stage. The industry’s fundamentals, not a signal on this stock.
Primary pillar under pressure — Deliver EPS near $2.58 in FY26: Comparison needs review.
View ThesisRevenue is growing steadily — about 9% over the past year.
View GrowthManagement screens strong on capital allocation, margins, the balance sheet.
View ManagementExpectations look reasonable — what the market is pricing in sits in line with or below what analysts forecast.
View ValuationModerate volatility — typically moves about 1% a day.
View RiskMiddlesex Water’s dividend-growth case rests on steady financial performance, though earnings quality is fragile. Revenue growth was 10% in Q1 and 14% in Q2; Q1 missed estimates. The latest headline reports an earnings beat, while the desk records no earnings release. MSEX trades at 2× P/B, matching the 2× peer median and above its 2.1× historical multiple. The price reflects less growth than our forecast, despite modest expectations. Reported profits are not well backed by cash, and the FY26 EPS comparison needs review. Our model puts the next-quarter miss probability at 28%. Peer multiples imply a price about 15% below where it trades; the thesis is on watch. This read is provisional.
Trailing returns as of 2026-10-30. MSEX is total return (includes dividends); the S&P 500 benchmark is price return (the index excludes dividends).
Based on 2 analysts currently covering MSEX (as of Oct 2026).
Analyst ratings and price targets are third-party Wall Street estimates, not QuarterlyIQ’s view. Not investment advice.
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| Compare | Company | Living FV | P/E | Revenue % | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSEX Selected company | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Peer Add a competitor | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Holding Compare a holding | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review |
Selected metric trend
Quarterly · checked companies · value or % of revenue
A consensus fair price across 8 valuation methods, at three horizons. As of 2026-10-30. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
Today's peer multiple on trailing earnings, with no growth credited. This is the headline read.
Adds projected growth, so it leans optimistic by design. Read it as upside context, not a base case.
A price-focused, side-by-side fair-value read versus Water Utilities — fair value, gap to price, and forward P/E.
Compare the value case
Put MSEX next to peers and holdings, compare Living FV and multiples, then graph the driver behind the difference.
Advances: Maintain and grow dividends with $0.36 quarterly payout
Dividend increase exceeds the tracked $0.36 quarterly payout and supports dividend-growth objective.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
End-of-day figures as of 2026-10-30. EPS is implied from price ÷ P/E. Not investment advice.
A long-thesis check that carries the widest uncertainty of the three horizons.
Above average on quality vs scored peers
Direction of the business behind the multiple. Bands are backend reads; trailing-12-month basis.
Advances: Plan $506M utility infrastructure investment 2026-2028
Acquisition supports long-term infrastructure strategy.
Earnings miss may hinder future investment plans.
Advances: Invest $126M in utility infrastructure in 2026
New project aligns with infrastructure investment goals.
Advances: Invest $126M in utility infrastructure in 2026
Investment in water mains supports infrastructure objectives.