Applied Materials, Inc. vs American States Water Company — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $552.91 (market cap $417.31B), while American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 120.3× American States Water Company's market cap, and American States Water Company pays the higher dividend (2.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | AWR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $3.47B |
Sector | Technology | Utilities |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $89.28 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $70.10 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $4.37B |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 2.49% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AMAT trades at $525.61, up 0.67% in the last session, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals. Recent earnings consistently beat expectations, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 surpassing the $2.68 estimate. The stock benefits from robust profitability, including a 48.96% gross margin and 29.31% net margin, amid AI-driven semiconductor demand highlighted by CEO Gary Dickerson on CNBC on May 28, 2026.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $662.82, implying 26% upside, supported by 40 buy ratings and no sells. Risks include high valuation multiples like a P/E of 49.45 and cyclical semiconductor exposure, but growth in AI and data center investments offers significant opportunity.
AWR trades at $87.95, up 1.59% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported a Q2 2026 EPS beat of $1.09 versus $0.915 expected, driven by water rate increases and revenue growth. Recent news highlights its 71-year dividend growth streak and an 8.2% dividend hike announced in July 2026. Financials show solid profitability with a 20.52% net income margin and ROE of 13.62%, though valuation ratios like P/E of 23.92 are above sector averages.
Outlook is mixed: strong dividend history and earnings growth support income investors, but elevated valuation and mixed analyst consensus (20% buy, 50% hold, 30% sell) suggest limited near-term upside. Key risks include regulatory dependence on rate approvals and potential overvaluation relative to peers.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Materials is the world's largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing materials engineering solutions to help make nearly every chip in the world. The firm's systems are used in nearly every major process step with the exception of lithography. Key tools include those for chemical and physical vapor deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer- and reticle-inspection, critical dimension measurement, and defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes.
Read more on AMAT →American States Water provides water and electric services to over one million people in the U.S. It also manages water and wastewater systems for various military bases under long-term privatization contracts.
Read more on AWR →