American Water Works Company Inc vs Nucor Corporation — how do they compare? American Water Works Company Inc trades at $131.69 (market cap $25.69B), while Nucor Corporation trades at $234.51 (market cap $53.06B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 2.1× 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 | NUE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.69B | $53.06B |
Sector | Utilities | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $147.00 | $266.35 |
52-Week Low | $121.13 | $131.78 |
Enterprise Value | $41.25B | $57.71B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | 0.96% |
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.
Nucor (NUE) trades at $233.00, up 2.48% over the past day, supported by a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The stock benefits from a solid balance sheet with a debt-to-asset ratio of 20.23% (2025 company filing) and a 53-year dividend growth streak. Revenue for 2025 was $32.49 billion, with net income of $1.74 billion, though margins have compressed from peak levels. Recent news highlights a joint venture to address power infrastructure bottlenecks and positive analyst sentiment.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $262.89 (analyst reports July 2026), implying ~13% upside. Key opportunities include steel price strength and strategic expansions, but risks involve cyclical demand weakness and margin pressure. Institutional ownership trends and buy ratings (62.5% of analysts) support a constructive view, though investors should monitor Q2 2026 earnings for confirmation of guidance.
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 →Nucor Corp manufactures steel and steel products. The company also produces direct reduced iron for use in its steel mills. The operations include international trading and sales companies that buy and sell steel and steel products manufactured by the company and others. The operating business segments are: steel mills, steel products and raw materials, the steel mills segment derives maximum revenue.
Read more on NUE →