American States Water Company vs iShares MSCI South Africa ETF — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.53 (market cap $3.43B), while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF trades at $68.5. The key difference: American States Water Company pays a 2.52% dividend while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF pays none, and American States Water Company is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | EZA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.43B | — |
Sector | Utilities | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $81.60 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $56.36 |
Enterprise Value | $4.33B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.52% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American States Water (AWR) trades at $87.39, up 2.01% today, with strong technical momentum showing bullish moving averages and support at $86. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.09, beating estimates by 19.1%, driven by water rate increases and 11.2% revenue growth. AWR maintains exceptional profitability with 20.52% net margins and recently announced an 8.2% dividend increase, extending its 71-year dividend growth streak.
While AWR demonstrates operational excellence and dividend reliability, the stock faces valuation concerns with a P/E of 23.65 above sector averages. Analyst sentiment is mixed with only 20% buy ratings, reflecting concerns about limited upside. Regulatory dependency and high capital expenditures present ongoing risks, though the company's monopoly position and infrastructure investments provide stability.
EZA trades at $69.65, up 4.14% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought oscillators. The stock faces resistance near $68 and support at $66. Recent news highlights macroeconomic pressures on its South African-focused portfolio, including exposure to gold, banking, and platinum group metals amid rising interest rates and inflation.
The outlook is mixed, with technical strength offset by fundamental headwinds from global reflation. Investment opportunities hinge on commodity price stability, while risks include yield curve dynamics and cost of capital increases that may pressure constituent earnings.
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 →EZA is a country-specific ETF that tracks the South African equity market. It provides exposure to large and mid-cap companies across key sectors like materials and financials, with top holdings such as AngloGold Ashanti and Naspers.
Read more on EZA →