American States Water Company vs Prospect Capital Corporation — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Prospect Capital Corporation trades at $2.29 (market cap $1.14B). The key difference: American States Water Company is far larger — about 3× Prospect Capital Corporation's market cap, and Prospect Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (21.93%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | PSEC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $1.14B |
Sector | Utilities | Financials |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $3.05 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $2.11 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | 21.93% |
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.
PSEC trades at $2.285, down 0.22% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a neutral RSI. The company shows mixed fundamentals, with a low P/B of 0.39 and recent earnings beats, but negative revenue and net income margins. Recent news includes a dividend increase announcement and the sale of Valley Electric for $328 million, signaling active portfolio management.
Outlook: PSEC offers a deep value proposition with its discount to book value and high yield, but significant risks persist from negative profitability and volatile revenue trends. Analyst sentiment is cautious, with a majority hold rating, reflecting concerns over sustained earnings and NAV stability amid ongoing dividend adjustments.
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 →Prospect Capital Corp is a closed-end investment company based in the United States. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company invests primarily in senior and subordinated debt and equity of private companies for acquisitions, divestitures, growth, development, recapitalizations, and other purposes. It makes investments, including lending in private equity, sponsored transactions, directly to companies, investments in structured credit, real estate, and syndicated debt.
Read more on PSEC →