American Water Works Company Inc vs Burlington Stores Inc — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $135.3 (market cap $26.92B), while Burlington Stores Inc trades at $359.42 (market cap $23.38B). The key difference: American Water Works Company Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays a 2.64% dividend while Burlington Stores Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | BURL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.92B | $23.38B |
Sector | Utilities | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $146.20 | $372.19 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $242.43 |
Enterprise Value | $42.78B | $28.51B |
Dividend Yield | 2.64% | — |
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.
Burlington Stores (BURL) trades at $368.96, showing slight weakness with a 0.59% decline but remains near recent highs. The stock maintains strong technical momentum with bullish moving averages and trades above key support levels. Fundamentally, the company demonstrates robust earnings performance with three consecutive quarterly beats and improving profitability margins. Recent news highlights Burlington's successful smaller-store strategy driving sales productivity and upgraded analyst ratings.
The outlook remains positive with 94% analyst buy ratings and a $367 consensus target. Growth catalysts include continued store expansion and operational efficiency gains, though risks include competitive retail pressures and potential consumer spending volatility. The stock's premium valuation requires sustained execution to justify current levels.
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 →Burlington is a leading off-price retailer in the US, offering branded apparel, footwear, and home goods at significant discounts. It operates hundreds of stores focused on delivering high-quality products at great value.
Read more on BURL →