American States Water Company vs Cadence Design Systems Inc — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.14 (market cap $3.47B), while Cadence Design Systems Inc trades at $324.82 (market cap $90.20B). The key difference: Cadence Design Systems Inc is far larger — about 26× American States Water Company's market cap, and American States Water Company pays a 2.49% dividend while Cadence Design Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | CDNS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $90.20B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $416.39 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $265.66 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | $91.41B |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American States Water (AWR) trades at $87.45, up 1.02% with a bullish technical outlook. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $1.09 per share, beating estimates, driven by water rate increases and revenue growth of 11.2%. Profitability remains robust with a 20.52% net income margin and ROE of 13.62%. Recent news highlights AWR's 71-year dividend growth streak and inclusion in TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list.
AWR offers stable income with consistent dividend growth but faces valuation concerns at 23.92 P/E. Analyst consensus is cautious with 50% hold ratings. Key risks include regulatory dependence and competitive pressures. The stock presents a defensive play with reliable dividends but limited near-term upside given current multiples.
Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) trades at $326.75, down 1.55% amid a bearish technical signal, though strong fundamentals persist with Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates and AI-driven backlog hitting $8.1B. Revenue growth accelerated to 24% year-over-year, while profitability remains robust with 85.87% gross margins. The stock faces near-term pressure from technical indicators but maintains strong analyst support with an $415.11 consensus target.
The outlook remains positive given Cadence's leadership in semiconductor design software and exposure to AI growth, though high valuations (P/E 65.12) and technical bearishness pose risks. Investor sentiment is buoyed by record backlog and raised 2026 guidance, but competition and macroeconomic sensitivity could challenge further upside.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American States Water provides water and electric services to over one million people in the U.S. It also manages water and wastewater systems for various military bases under long-term privatization contracts.
Read more on AWR →Cadence Design Systems is a provider of electronic design automation software, intellectual property, and system design and analysis products. EDA software automates the chip design process, enhancing design accuracy, productivity, and complexity in a full-flow end-to-end solution. Cadence offers a portfolio of design IP, as well as system design and analysis products, which enable system-level analysis and verification solutions. Cadence's comprehensive portfolio is benefiting from a mutual convergence of semiconductor companies moving up-stack toward systems-like companies, and systems companies moving down-stack toward in-house chip design. The resulting expansion in EDA customers, alongside secular digitalization of various end markets, benefits EDA vendors like Cadence.
Read more on CDNS →