American States Water Company vs Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $78.52. The key difference: American States Water Company pays a 2.49% dividend while Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF pays none, and American States Water Company is trading nearer its 52-week high, Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | — |
Sector | Utilities | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $80.20 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $78.41 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | — |
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.
VCSH trades at $78.58, up 0.11% today, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The ETF maintains a 4.8% yield with recent dividends of $0.29-$0.30, though credit spreads are tight. News highlights institutional activity, including Apella Capital reducing its stake by 5.6% in Q2 2026 (SEC filing, August 7, 2026).
Outlook is cautious due to unattractive entry points and limited upside from rate cuts, per Seeking Alpha (July 27, 2026). Risks include credit spread widening and competition from alternatives like BSV. The short 2.7-year duration offers some downside protection, but yield advantages may narrow.
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 →VCSH tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, focusing on high-quality, investment-grade debt with short maturities. It is designed to offer higher income than Treasury bills with significantly lower interest rate sensitivity than intermediate or long-term bond funds.
Read more on VCSH →