American Water Works Company Inc vs MasterCard Inc — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $135.48 (market cap $26.92B), while MasterCard Inc trades at $563.92 (market cap $493.34B). The key difference: MasterCard Inc is far larger — about 18.3× American Water Works Company Inc'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 | MA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $26.92B | $493.34B |
Sector | Utilities | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $146.20 | $598.96 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $471.55 |
Enterprise Value | $42.78B | $506.38B |
Dividend Yield | 2.64% | 0.62% |
Volume | — | 4,635,698 |
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.
Mastercard (MA) trades at $564.69, up 0.31% with strong institutional buying interest. The stock shows bullish technical momentum above key support at $560, supported by consistent earnings beats and robust fundamentals including 46.34% net margins. Revenue growth accelerated to $32.79B in 2025, with analysts projecting 17% upside to the $660.85 consensus target. Recent news highlights Mastercard's AI payments expansion in ASEAN and commitment to connect 500 million underbanked people by 2030.
Mastercard presents a compelling growth opportunity with dominant market position and expanding digital payment adoption. Key risks include payment industry disruption from stablecoins and competitive pressures. With 79% analyst buy ratings and strong institutional accumulation, the stock offers quality exposure to global payment growth, though investors should monitor execution on innovation initiatives.
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 →Mastercard Incorporated provides financial transaction processing services. The Company offers payment processing services for credit and debit cards, electronic cash, automated teller machines, and travelers checks. Mastercard serves customers worldwide.
Read more on MA →