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American Water WorksAWK

Water Utilities · Camden, New Jersey · In the S&P 500
Solid businessPricier than peers
$144.37+1.52%After hours: $145.70 (+0.92%)At the close, 30 Oct · Prices from CNBC, may be delayed
▲ 11.0% over 1 year
American Water Works over 1 yearDaily close, $, to 30 Oct 2026
$130$140Nov2026MarMayJulSep$144.37$130$140NovMarJul$144.37
Source: Nasdaq daily closes
Market value$28.75B
Price to earnings25.0x
Forward P/E23.8x
Dividend yield2.48%
Year to date+10.6%
One year+11.0%
Next earningsNot scheduled
SectorUtilities
52-week range (closes)
$121.13$144.37

Quality and valuation

How American Water Works compares with other utilities stocks. A description, not a recommendation.

American Water Works and 7 water utilities peers. Across: valuation (P/E) against the sector. Up: business quality against the sector. Hover or tap a logo for its numbers.

Business quality: about averageValuation: pricier than most

An average business among utilities companies, priced above most of them.

American Water Works trades at 23.8 times the next 12 months of expected earnings, against a median of 18.6x for the 33 utilities stocks we cover. The quality score blends where it ranks on revenue growth, gross margin, operating margin and free-cash-flow margin (net margin for banks and insurers) over the last 12 months, from SEC filings.

  • Revenue grew slower than the sector median: +5.1% vs +8.3%
  • More profitable (operating margin): 37.2% vs 23.0%
  • Turns less of its sales into cash: −21.7% vs −14.5%
AWK trades at 23.8x forward earnings, above the sector medianForward p/e, Water Utilities peers
SRE16.6xD17.5xDUK18.8xAEP19.6xSO20.1xNEE20.8xCEG21.4xAWK23.8xSector median 18.6xSRE16.6xD17.5xDUK18.8xAEP19.6xSO20.1xNEE20.8xCEG21.4xAWK23.8xSector median 18.6x
Source: CNBC quotes; Mostly Markets
At 25.0x earnings, AWK is pricier than its average since Oct 2024Price over the last 12 months of reported (GAAP) diluted EPS
P/EUsual range (±1 s.d.)
22x24x26x28xAverage 24.4x2025202625.0x22x28xAverage 24.4x2025202625.0x
Source: Nasdaq prices; SEC filings

Financials

From American Water Works's SEC filings, through the quarter ending 30 Sep 2026. Hover or tap a bar for its value.

Revenue grew 3.3% from a year earlierQuarterly revenue, $bn, latest Q3 ’26
$0.0bn$0.5bn$1.0bn$1.5bnQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$1.5bnQ3 ’26$0.0bn$0.5bn$1.0bn$1.5bnQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$1.5bnQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Growth slowed to +3.3% last quarterRevenue growth, year on year, %
0%5%10%15%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’253.3%Q3 ’260%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’253.3%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Operating margin was 42.7% last quarterOperating income as a share of revenue, %
0%20%40%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2542.7%Q3 ’260%20%40%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2542.7%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Free cash flow was −$1.2 billion over 12 monthsQuarterly free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capex), $m
−$400m−$200m$0mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25−$160mQ3 ’26−$400m−$200m$0mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25−$160mQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Last 12 monthsAWKSector median
Revenue growth+5.1%+8.3%
Operating margin37.2%23.0%
Free cash flow margin−21.7%−14.5%
Price to earnings25.0x21.1x

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Water Utilities, by market value.

CompanyPriceTodayYTDValue
NEENextEra Energy$83.71+1.91%+4.3%$176B
SOSouthern$93.71+0.77%+7.5%$108B
DUKDuke Energy$127.39+1.18%+8.7%$99.33B
CEGConstellation Energy$262.38−0.83%−25.7%$92.96B
AEPAmerican Electric Power$130.21+0.67%+12.9%$70.90B
DDominion Energy$66.62+2.30%+13.7%$58.59B
SRESempra$86.06+0.20%−2.5%$56.27B
ETREntergy$110.11+0.13%+19.1%$52.61B