American States Water Company vs UnitedHealth Group Inc — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while UnitedHealth Group Inc trades at $405.47 (market cap $361.00B). The key difference: UnitedHealth Group Inc is far larger — about 104× 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 | UNH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | $361.00B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $436.35 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $259.02 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | $402.86B |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | 2.31% |
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.
UnitedHealth Group (UNH) trades at $408.74, showing modest daily gains of 0.41% amid a bearish technical signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamental performance with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters and robust analyst support (82.7% buy ratings). Recent developments include dividend payments and strategic initiatives to streamline pediatric care authorizations, positioning UNH well in the healthcare sector.
UNH presents a compelling investment case with strong cash flow generation and market leadership, though investors face risks from regulatory scrutiny and margin compression. The stock trades at a discount to analyst consensus target of $476.50, offering potential upside if operational improvements and growth initiatives materialize as projected.
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 →UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest private health insurers, providing medical benefits to 50 million members globally, including 5 million outside the U.S. at the end of 2021. As a leader in employer-sponsored, self-directed, and government-backed insurance plans, UnitedHealth has obtained massive scale in managed care. Along with its insurance assets, UnitedHealth's continued investments in its Optum franchises have created a healthcare services colossus that spans everything from medical and pharmaceutical benefits to providing outpatient care and analytics to both affiliated and third-party customers.
Read more on UNH →