American Water Works Company Inc vs e l f Beauty Inc — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $132.16 (market cap $25.69B), while e l f Beauty Inc trades at $75.32 (market cap $4.26B). The key difference: American Water Works Company Inc is far larger — about 6× e l f Beauty Inc's market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays a 2.72% dividend while e l f Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | ELF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.69B | $4.26B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $147.00 | $146.67 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $49.57 |
Enterprise Value | $41.25B | $4.89B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | — |
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.
ELF Beauty trades at $75.10, down 2.15% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported strong revenue of $1.31 billion in 2025 and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news highlights brand expansion and a 32% stock jump in June 2026, though growth is transitioning as the core brand softens.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is evenly split between Buy and Hold, with a $74.42 price target near the current price. Upside potential exists from skincare and international expansion, but risks include cost pressures, tariff exposure, and the need to sustain double-digit sales growth amid competitive dynamics.
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 →e.l.f. Beauty is a leading cosmetics company offering high-quality, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free products. It is known for its affordable and prestige-quality makeup and skincare items for a diverse global audience.
Read more on ELF →