American Water Works Company Inc vs Danaher Corporation — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $131.69 (market cap $25.69B), while Danaher Corporation trades at $199.47 (market cap $140.88B). The key difference: Danaher Corporation is far larger — about 5.5× American Water Works Company Inc's market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays the higher dividend (2.72%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | DHR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.69B | $140.88B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $147.00 | $242.05 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $161.91 |
Enterprise Value | $41.25B | $153.66B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | 0.8% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Water Works (AWK) trades at $131.53, up 0.64% with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock shows consistent revenue growth from $3.8B in 2022 to $5.14B in 2025, maintaining net margins above 21%. Recent earnings show mixed results with a Q3 2025 beat but Q1 2026 miss, while the company continues infrastructure investments and community initiatives.
AWK presents a stable utility investment with moderate upside to the $137 consensus target. Key risks include regulatory approvals for rate increases and high capital expenditures. Analyst sentiment is balanced with 47% buy ratings, though recent earnings misses warrant caution ahead of Q2 2026 results on July 29, 2026.
Danaher (DHR) trades at $199.05, showing minimal daily change, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company maintains strong profitability with a 58.94% gross margin and has beaten earnings estimates for the last three quarters. Recent news highlights the acquisition of Masimo and new product launches in its SCIEX division, indicating growth initiatives. Cash flow improved in 2025 to a net inflow of $2.54 billion, though revenue growth remains modest.
The outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $211.33, representing a 6% upside, and 69% of analysts rate it a buy. Risks include slowing revenue growth, high valuation multiples, and integration challenges from acquisitions. The stock offers a dividend yield supported by stable cash flows, but investors should monitor competitive pressures in the life sciences sector.
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 →In 1984, Danaher's founders transformed a real estate organization into an industrial-focused manufacturing company. Through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, including the Fortive separation in 2016, Danaher now focuses primarily on manufacturing scientific instruments and consumables in three segments: life sciences, diagnostics, and environmental and applied solutions. In late 2019, Danaher separated from its dental business through an initial public offering process, and in early 2020, it acquired GE's Biopharma business, now called Cytiva, which added to its life sciences segment.
Read more on DHR →