American States Water Company vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $84.89 (market cap $3.33B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $226.42 (market cap $70.87B). The key difference: Ross Stores, Inc. is far larger — about 21.3× American States Water Company's market cap, and American States Water Company pays the higher dividend (2.37%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.33B | $70.87B |
Sector | Utilities | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $85.05 | $240.13 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $127.59 |
Enterprise Value | $4.24B | $71.46B |
Dividend Yield | 2.37% | 0.81% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American States Water (AWR) trades at $85.05, up 0.64% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong profitability metrics including a 19.66% net income margin. Recent news highlights its inclusion in TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list and a completed $200 million ATM equity offering. The stock shows consistent dividend performance with a 71-year growth streak, though recent quarters saw mixed earnings results versus expectations.
Outlook remains stable with revenue growth to $679 million in 2026 and solid cash flow, but risks include regulatory pressures and interest rate sensitivity. Analysts are cautious with only 20% buy ratings. The stock offers defensive appeal but faces execution risks in a high-valuation environment.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $219.46, down 1.53% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and consistent earnings beats. The company demonstrates strong profitability with a 9.74% net margin and 38.98% ROE, while revenue grew to $21.13B in 2025. Recent news highlights robust Q1 2026 performance with 21% sales growth and expanding margins.
The stock offers upside to the $259 consensus price target, driven by operational efficiency and store expansion. Risks include consumer spending sensitivity and competitive pressures. Analyst sentiment is strongly positive with 64% buy ratings, though valuation multiples like the 30.65 P/E warrant monitoring amid market volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →