LONDON, March 12, 2026, 20:17 GMT
United Utilities Group climbed 2.26% to 1,357.5 pence on Thursday, outpacing the broader FTSE 100 as it slipped. The move came after Bank of America bumped its target price up to 1,500 pence from 1,300, according to an Alliance News broker-ratings roundup, drawing investors toward utilities.
The wider market struggled, but that move was notable. Britain’s blue-chip index slipped 0.4% as oil rebounded to $100 and traders dialed down expectations for a near-term Bank of England rate cut.
“The longer the disruption goes on, the greater the impact on energy prices and in turn global inflation,” said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell. Utilities tend to draw interest as defensive plays—investors lean on them when growth jitters pick up. Reuters
United Utilities wasn’t the only one catching a bid. According to Reuters, utilities managed to notch gains across Europe, with the STOXX 600 slipping 0.6%. Bank of America bumped up its price target on Severn Trent to 3,500 pence, Alliance News noted, after the shares advanced 2.66%.
United Utilities finds itself apart from several peers on the regulatory front. Unlike six other UK water utilities, the company chose not to challenge Ofwat’s 2025-30 settlement—the regulator’s five-year blueprint for bills and investment. On Tuesday, the Competition and Markets Authority said it had turned down most of the additional revenue claims from five companies that did appeal.
“We’ve rejected most of the bill increases water companies asked for but allowed limited extra funding where that’s genuinely needed,” Kirstin Baker, chair of the CMA’s independent group, said on Tuesday. The decision didn’t touch United Utilities, yet it underscored just how strictly authorities continue to monitor water-sector pricing. Reuters
According to Reuters company data, United Utilities serves over 8 million customers—both households and businesses—across northwest England, pushing out roughly 1.8 billion litres of water every day. The company’s next reporting date is set for May 14, with full-year results on tap.
But it’s hardly a one-way bet. According to Reuters company data, United Utilities was carrying total debt of 10.8 billion pounds in 2025. That’s a hefty load—if oil keeps stoking inflation and expected rate cuts stay elusive, higher borrowing costs could start to pinch. Pennon, for its part, offered a warning earlier this week: full-year profitability should come in at the bottom of market estimates, with storms and heavy rain pushing costs up. The company also pointed to a likely net ODI penalty, referencing Outcome Delivery Incentives—the system that converts operational outcomes into financial penalties or rewards.
United Utilities is still trading under its 1,404p high for the year, yet Thursday’s gain brings the shares roughly 13.7% higher since the beginning of 2026 and puts them close to the upper end of their latest range. In a London market shaken by oil and rates, regulated water offered something of a haven.
