ESS Tech Inc logo

ESS Tech Inc(GWH)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL
1-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$0.08
10/19/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
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  • 1M
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  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
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Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for GWH

10/19/2026: GWH (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

ESS Tech Inc is a developer of iron flow battery technology designed for long-duration energy storage. The company is primarily a growth-stage entity, benefiting from the global shift toward intermittent renewable power and the resulting need for grid resilience. Its main strength lies in its use of non-toxic, abundant materials, though it faces significant competition from established lithium-ion giants and substantial execution risks in scaling manufacturing. Investors should monitor project delivery milestones and progress toward margin profitability as the primary indicators of success. The stock is best suited for risk-tolerant investors looking for exposure to the clean energy transition, noting that the company does not pay dividends.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitThe company operates in a high-growth sector but is still proving its commercial viability.
Momentum investorWeak fitThe stock lacks the consistent trend patterns required by momentum strategies at this stage.
Value investorWeak fitThe company is not currently profitable, making standard value metrics inapplicable.
Dividend investorWeak fitNo dividends are paid, as all capital is used for business development.
Low-risk investorWeak fitHigh volatility and operational uncertainty make this unsuitable for low-risk portfolios.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityHighSpeculative nature of the technology leads to significant stock price swings.
Valuation riskHighValuations are based on future market penetration expectations rather than current earnings.
Competition risk (Lithium-ion incumbents)HighCompeting against established, low-cost lithium-ion batteries is a major challenge.
Business qualityMediumThe proprietary technology is a strong core, but the franchise is still early in development.
Dividend incomeLow / noneInvestors should expect zero income generation from this holding.
Execution riskHighThe company must successfully scale manufacturing to reach commercial profitability.

Price Behavior

Steep Decline
PRICE PATH

Steep Decline

The stock price has dropped sharply with strong downward pressure.

Extreme Price Shocks
PRICE STABILITY

Extreme Price Shocks

The stock has experienced exceptionally large and disruptive price movements during the period.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit 52.03%
Avg. Invested days 9
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 2.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 3.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/19/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
GWH receives a 2-star rating, reflecting soft or weak scores across the available pillars. The rating is constrained by weak unit economics, soft company fundamentals, and soft quantitative characteristics.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
GWH has soft overall fundamentals (2 stars), with weak financial health, soft growth momentum, and moderate ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, solid earnings growth (+26.4%) is partially offset by weak cash generation (FCF margin -3390.5%), negative revenue growth (-74.9%), weak profitability (net margin -4007.6%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
GWH's financial health is weak, with the relatively strongest area being soft liquidity, including working-capital and asset support (WC/assets 1.9%). Operating efficiency is weak (1 stars), which helps explain the 1-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Free-cash-flow growth is GWH's strongest growth driver at +32.5% FY2025 versus FY2024 (solid, 4 stars). By comparison, earnings growth (+26.4%, solid) is also solid, while revenue growth (-74.9%, negative) holds the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 19.0% (soft) and 74.1% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable (solid). Insider ownership of 7.31% supports management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

SoftBank Group Corp 5.95%
Alyeska Investment Group, L.P. 3.48%
Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 1.59%
UBS Group AG 1.50%
Arosa Capital Management LP 1.37%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
GWH generates approximately $-21,107 of gross profit, $-35,186 of operating income, and $-33,905 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Operating losses and cash burn explain the 1-star rating, with weak cash conversion and weak capital efficiency.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 0.00%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
GWH has a liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while soft valuation.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

High VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskShort Squeeze RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 6.31M USD
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 2
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 2
Volume (30-day avg) 1.1M shares
Beta 1.35
52 Weeks Range 0.05 - 5.67
Updated Date 10/20/2026
52 Weeks Range 0.05 - 5.67
Updated Date 10/20/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) -2.95

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Energy Storage SystemsSale of Energy Warehouse and Energy Center hardware, plus service agreements.The company earns revenue by selling large-scale iron-flow battery systems to utilities and industrial power users.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Valuation

Trailing PE -
Forward PE -
Enterprise Value 21.35M
Price to Sales(TTM) 16.94
Enterprise Value 21.35M
Price to Sales(TTM) 16.94
Enterprise Value to Revenue 7.29
Enterprise Value to EBITDA -0.15
Shares Outstanding 40.27M
Shares Floating 29.83M
Shares Outstanding 40.27M
Shares Floating 29.83M
Percent Insiders 7.31
Percent Institutions 19.04

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

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