American Water Works Company Inc vs American States Water Company — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $135.3 (market cap $26.92B), while American States Water Company trades at $87.74 (market cap $3.43B). The key difference: American Water Works Company Inc is far larger — about 7.8× American States Water Company's market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays the higher dividend (2.64%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | AWR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.92B | $3.43B |
Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
52-Week High | $146.20 | $89.28 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $70.10 |
Enterprise Value | $42.78B | $4.33B |
Dividend Yield | 2.64% | 2.52% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AWK trades at $135.31, up 0.36% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.61, beating estimates, while Q1 and Q4 2025 missed. Revenue grew to $5.14B in 2025 with a 21.35% net margin. Analyst consensus is mixed with 14 Buy, 14 Hold, and 2 Sell ratings, targeting $139.83. Recent news highlights operational excellence awards and customer base expansion through acquisitions.
Outlook remains stable with consistent dividend payments and guided EPS growth. Risks include rising debt levels and regulatory pressures. The stock offers steady income and moderate growth potential, but investors should monitor execution on earnings targets and capital expenditure efficiency.
American States Water (AWR) trades at $87.39, up 2.01% today, with strong technical momentum showing bullish moving averages and support at $86. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.09, beating estimates by 19.1%, driven by water rate increases and 11.2% revenue growth. AWR maintains exceptional profitability with 20.52% net margins and recently announced an 8.2% dividend increase, extending its 71-year dividend growth streak.
While AWR demonstrates operational excellence and dividend reliability, the stock faces valuation concerns with a P/E of 23.65 above sector averages. Analyst sentiment is mixed with only 20% buy ratings, reflecting concerns about limited upside. Regulatory dependency and high capital expenditures present ongoing risks, though the company's monopoly position and infrastructure investments provide stability.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Water Works is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility, serving approximately 3.5 million customers in 16 states. It provides water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers and operates predominantly in regulated markets. The company's only nonregulated business is water services for military bases, which operates under long-term contracts.
Read more on AWK →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 →