American States Water Company vs Marqeta Inc — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Marqeta Inc trades at $15.65 (market cap $1.62B). The key difference: American States Water Company is far larger — about 2.1× Marqeta Inc's market cap, and American States Water Company pays a 2.49% dividend while Marqeta Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | MQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $1.62B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $26.00 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $15.04 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | $935.36M |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AWR trades at $87.95, up 1.59% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported a Q2 2026 EPS beat of $1.09 versus $0.915 expected, driven by water rate increases and revenue growth. Recent news highlights its 71-year dividend growth streak and an 8.2% dividend hike announced in July 2026. Financials show solid profitability with a 20.52% net income margin and ROE of 13.62%, though valuation ratios like P/E of 23.92 are above sector averages.
Outlook is mixed: strong dividend history and earnings growth support income investors, but elevated valuation and mixed analyst consensus (20% buy, 50% hold, 30% sell) suggest limited near-term upside. Key risks include regulatory dependence on rate approvals and potential overvaluation relative to peers.
Marqeta (MQ) trades at $15.62, up 0.13% with a bearish technical outlook. The company shows improving fundamentals with Q2 2026 revenue growth of 17% and second consecutive GAAP profitability. Recent partnerships with Google and Riskified highlight strategic expansion, while a 4:1 reverse stock split was completed in July 2026. Valuation remains elevated with a P/E of 173, though analyst consensus targets $19.00 with 32% buy ratings.
The outlook suggests cautious optimism as Marqeta transitions to profitability amid competitive fintech pressures. Key risks include execution on new initiatives and maintaining growth momentum. Upside potential exists if recent partnerships drive sustained revenue acceleration, but high valuation multiples require continued strong performance to justify.
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 →Headquartered in Oakland, California, and founded in 2010, Marqeta provides its clients with a card-issuing platform that offers the infrastructure and tools necessary to offer digital, physical, and tokenized payment options without the need for a traditional bank. The company's open APIs are designed to allow third parties like DoorDash, Klarna, and Block to rapidly develop and deploy innovative card-based products and payment services without the need to develop the underlying technology. The company generates revenue primarily through processing and ATM fees for cards issued on its platform.
Read more on MQ →