Can Solid Utility Programs and Planning Work Drive Willdan in 2026?

Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) operates at the intersection of energy, infrastructure and public-sector services. The company focuses on helping utilities, governments and commercial clients manage rising power needs and complex infrastructure requirements. Utility programs and planning work remain central to the business model. These areas provide visibility, recurring activity and long-term client relationships. The question is that heading into 2026 whether these strengths can keep driving growth in a changing energy landscape.

Business momentum reflects broad-based progress across both operating segments. Utility programs remain a key contributor, supported by stable multi-year contracts and growing program sizes. Planning and construction management work has also shown solid traction, reflecting higher demand from utilities, municipalities and commercial customers. Geographic expansion and new contract wins have added to this momentum, allowing the company to diversify its project mix while maintaining focus on core energy services.

During the first nine months of 2025, contract revenues increased 20% year over year to $508 million, while net revenues rose 27% to $275 million. This growth underscores steady execution across service lines, with utility programs and planning work playing a meaningful role. Municipal demand stayed healthy, supported by funding mechanisms such as user fees and bonds, which helped provide stability even amid broader market uncertainty.

Looking ahead, electric load growth is expected to rise over the next decade, driven by data centers and electrification trends. New data centers require high-voltage power, dedicated substations and complex utility interconnections. Willdan supports clients across the full project lifecycle, from early planning and engineering to power delivery and energy optimization after facilities come online. Each phase builds on the last, creating cross-selling opportunities across service lines.

The company also reports a solid pipeline of opportunities that is actively converting into contracts, providing visibility into 2026. With utility programs and planning work aligned to long-term energy demand trends, these areas are positioned to remain key growth drivers.

WLDN’s Price Performance vs. Other Market Players

Shares of Willdan have gained 22% in the past three months against the Zacks Business - Services industry’s 1% fall. In the same time frame, shares of other industry players, such as APi Group (APG) have gained 17%, while ABM Industries (ABM) and Bowman Consulting Group (BWMN) have fallen 3.5% and 18.3%, respectively.

Price Performance

Willdan’s Valuation Trend

From a valuation standpoint, WLDN trades at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 25.26X, up from the industry’s 18.66X.

APi Group, ABM Industries and Bowman Consulting Group have a forward P/E of 24.83X, 10.47X and 20.6X, respectively.

EPS Trend of WLDN

Willdan’s earnings estimate for 2026 has remained unchanged in the past 60 days at $4.53 per share. The estimated figure for 2026 indicates 9.6% year-over-year growth.

Willdan currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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