American States Water Company vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $14.85 (market cap $211.63B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 61× 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 | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $211.63B |
Sector | Utilities | Financials |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $14.71 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $9.37 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | 1.89% |
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.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.83, up 0.92% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates in Q1 but missing in Q2, while net income grew to $14.10 billion in 2025. Recent news includes Federal Reserve approval for its $12 billion acquisition of Webster Bank, enhancing its U.S. footprint.
Outlook is supported by analyst consensus (64% buy ratings) and record profitability, but risks include volatile earnings, high debt levels, and integration challenges from acquisitions. The stock's valuation appears reasonable with a P/E of 14.4, offering potential for growth if execution remains strong amid economic uncertainties.
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 →Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →