American Water Works Company Inc vs Southwest Airlines Co — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $135.3 (market cap $26.92B), while Southwest Airlines Co trades at $45.6 (market cap $21.97B). The key difference: American Water Works Company Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and American Water Works Company Inc pays the higher dividend (2.64%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWK | LUV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.92B | $21.97B |
Sector | Utilities | Industrials |
52-Week High | $146.20 | $54.80 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $29.06 |
Enterprise Value | $42.78B | $25.06B |
Dividend Yield | 2.64% | 1.6% |
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.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) trades at $47.05, up 0.23% today, with a bullish technical signal and consensus price target of $53.86. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with EPS of $0.94 versus $0.51 expected, driven by record revenue. The company maintains a solid liquidity position of $8.73B cash and has declared quarterly dividends of $0.18 per share, with new board appointments signaling strategic focus.
Outlook is positive with projected 2026 net income margin of 2.78% and revenue growth to $30.1B, but risks include fuel cost volatility and competitive pressures. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 42% buy ratings, offering potential upside of 14.5% to the consensus target, though institutional selling by firms like Elliott Management warrants monitoring.
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 →Southwest Airlines is the largest domestic carrier in the United States, as measured by the number of originating passengers boarded. Southwest operates over 700 aircraft in an all-Boeing 737 fleet. Despite expanding into longer routes and business travel, the airline still specializes in short-haul leisure flights, using a point-to-point network. Southwest operates a low-cost carrier business model.
Read more on LUV →