American States Water Company vs Dollar General Corp. — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Dollar General Corp. trades at $120.2 (market cap $26.49B). The key difference: Dollar General Corp. is far larger — about 7.6× American States Water Company's market cap, and American States Water Company pays the higher dividend (2.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | DG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $26.49B |
Sector | Utilities | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $156.26 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $95.94 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | $40.93B |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | 1.97% |
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.
Dollar General (DG) trades at $119.65, down 2.24% amid broader market weakness. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 16.98 and P/S of 0.62, trading below analyst consensus target of $128.45. Recent earnings beats and positive cash flow trends ($395M net in 2025) support the bullish case, though profit margins have compressed from 7.01% in 2022 to 2.77% in 2025. Technical indicators show mixed signals with bullish overall sentiment but bearish moving averages.
Outlook remains positive given 52% analyst buy ratings and projected earnings growth, but investors face margin pressure and competitive threats from Walmart and Amazon. The stock offers value characteristics with upside to price targets, though same-store sales growth and cost management will be critical for sustained performance.
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 →A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →