American States Water Company vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF — how do they compare? American States Water Company trades at $87.85 (market cap $3.47B), while Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF trades at $166.86. The key difference: American States Water Company pays a 2.49% dividend while Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AWR | VYM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $3.47B | — |
Sector | Utilities | — |
52-Week High | $89.28 | $166.14 |
52-Week Low | $70.10 | $136.63 |
Enterprise Value | $4.37B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.49% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American States Water (AWR) trades at $87.45, up 1.02% with a bullish technical outlook. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $1.09 per share, beating estimates, driven by water rate increases and revenue growth of 11.2%. Profitability remains robust with a 20.52% net income margin and ROE of 13.62%. Recent news highlights AWR's 71-year dividend growth streak and inclusion in TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list.
AWR offers stable income with consistent dividend growth but faces valuation concerns at 23.92 P/E. Analyst consensus is cautious with 50% hold ratings. Key risks include regulatory dependence and competitive pressures. The stock presents a defensive play with reliable dividends but limited near-term upside given current multiples.
VYM trades at $166.67, up 0.37% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The ETF is highlighted in recent news for retirement income strategies, with a dividend of $0.98 scheduled for June 2026. It has shown strong performance, reaching new highs, though some articles note long-term underperformance versus the S&P 500.
The outlook is positive for income-focused investors due to its high-dividend yield and diversification, but risks include potential yield compression and market volatility. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with some advocating for its value exposure while others caution on growth limitations.
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 →The advisor employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the index, which consists of common stocks of companies that pay dividends that generally are higher than average. The advisor attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of the fund's assets in the stocks that make up the index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index.
Read more on VYM →