American States Water Company vs Verisign, Inc. — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $85.29 (market cap $3.33B), while Verisign, Inc. trades at $268.89 (market cap $24.47B). The key difference: Verisign, Inc. is far larger — about 7.3× 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 | VRSN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.33B | $24.47B |
Sector | Utilities | Technology |
52-Week High | $85.05 | $310.00 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $211.49 |
Enterprise Value | $4.24B | $25.70B |
Dividend Yield | 2.37% | 1.21% |
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.
VeriSign (VRSN) trades at $270.31, up 0.07% with a bullish technical outlook. The stock shows strong fundamentals with 2025 revenue of $1.66B, net income of $825.7M, and exceptional 49.96% net margin. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations at $2.34 EPS. Analyst consensus is bullish with 57% buy ratings and $327.67 price target, representing 21% upside potential. The company maintains its monopoly position in .com/.net domain registry with predictable revenue growth.
VRSN presents a compelling investment case with stable cash flows and dominant market position, though trading at premium valuations (P/E 29.87). Key risks include contract renewals, AI disruption potential, and high debt levels. The upcoming Q2 2026 earnings report on July 23 will be critical for validating growth trajectory. Current levels offer attractive entry for long-term investors seeking defensive tech exposure.
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 →Verisign is the sole authorized registry for several generic top-level domains, including the widely utilized .com and .net top-level domains. The company operates critical Internet infrastructure to support the domain name system, including operating two of the world's 13 root servers that are used to route Internet traffic. In 2018, the firm sold off its Security Services business, signalling a renewed focus on the core registry business.
Read more on VRSN →