American Water Works is the largest investor-owned US water and wastewater utility, serving nearly 4 million customers in 14 states. It provides water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers and operates predominantly in regulated markets. The company's nonregulated business is water services for military bases, which operates under long-term contracts with regulated-like returns. The proposed Essential Utilities acquisition would add regulated water and wastewater utilities in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas while increasing its presence in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.
The chart shows the growth of an initial investment of $10,000 in American Water Works Company, Inc, comparing it to the performance of the S&P 500 index.
All prices have been adjusted for splits and dividends.
American Water Works Company, Inc (AWK) has returned 6.07% so far this year and -4.77% over the past 12 months. Looking at the last ten years, AWK has achieved an annualized return of 7.11%, underperforming the Benchmark (SPY), which averaged 12.23% per year.
The table below presents the monthly returns of American Water Works Company, Inc (AWK) with color gradation from worst to best to easily spot seasonal factors.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -0.84% | 4.95% | 0.42% | 2.27% | ||||||||
| 2025 | -0.77% | 9.35% | 9.12% | 0.12% | -1.40% | -1.92% | 0.62% | 0.72% | -2.66% | -7.87% | 1.40% | 0.55% |
| 2024 | -5.47% | -4.30% | 3.41% | -0.10% | 7.08% | -1.50% | 9.95% | 0.09% | 2.37% | -5.71% | -1.02% | -9.43% |
| 2023 | 1.77% | -10.00% | 7.08% | 2.20% | -2.48% | -1.18% | 3.45% | -5.72% | -11.28% | -4.35% | 12.12% | 0.32% |
| 2022 | -14.91% | -6.16% | 9.41% | -7.03% | -2.32% | -1.96% | 3.96% | -4.06% | -12.32% | 9.77% | 2.80% | -0.70% |
| 2021 | 3.58% | -11.67% | 3.96% | 3.55% | -0.73% | -1.12% | 10.30% | 7.22% | -6.44% | 3.25% | -3.28% | 12.36% |
| 2020 | 10.73% | -9.29% | -3.84% | 5.82% | 5.32% | 1.38% | 14.65% | -3.85% | 2.19% | 3.40% | 0.91% | -0.72% |
| 2019 | 5.77% | 6.16% | 2.76% | 3.60% | 4.84% | 2.27% | -0.54% | 12.05% | -3.22% | -0.36% | -1.92% | 1.58% |
| 2018 | -8.60% | -4.71% | 3.59% | 5.21% | -3.75% | 2.37% | 3.11% | -0.44% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 6.76% | -4.29% |
| 2017 | 1.48% | 6.98% | 0.95% | 2.80% | -2.07% | -0.43% | 3.64% | -0.39% | -0.20% | 8.11% | 4.05% | -0.24% |
| 2016 | 5.69% | 1.37% | 14.11% | -2.63% | -10.32% | 1.51% | -0.79% | -2.13% | 0.46% |
The charts below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Water Works Company, Inc (AWK) and compare them to a Benchmark (SPY). These indicators evaluate an investment's returns against its associated risks.
The Sharpe ratio helps investors understand how much return they're getting for the level of risk taken. A higher Sharpe ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance, meaning more reward for each unit of risk.
These values reflect how efficiently the investment has delivered returns relative to its volatility over different time periods. All figures are annualized and based on daily total returns.
The chart below shows the rolling Sharpe ratio of AWK compared to the benchmark. This view highlights how the investment's risk-adjusted performance has changed over time.
The current American Water Works Company, Inc volatility is 1.50%, representing the standart deviation of percentage change in the investments's value, either up or down over the past month. The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. It shows the maximum percentage drop from a peak to a trough over a specified period, indicating the risk of significant losses.
Although chart shows positive values, it represents the percentage drop from the peak, so a value of 10% means the portfolio has dropped 10% from its highest point.
The income statement provides a summary of a company's revenues, expenses, and profits over a specific period. It shows how much money the company earned (revenues) and how much it spent (expenses), leading to the net income or profit. This statement is crucial for understanding a company's financial performance and profitability.
| 2025 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liabilities And Equity (USD) | 35.44B | 30.30B | 27.79B | 26.08B | 24.77B | 22.68B | 21.22B | 19.48B | 18.48B | 17.24B | 16.13B | 15.07B | 14.72B | 14.78B |
| Temporary Equity (USD) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.00M | 7.00M | 7.00M | - | - | - | - |
| Equity Attributable To Parent (USD) | 10.84B | 9.80B | 7.69B | 7.30B | 6.45B | 6.12B | 5.86B | 5.39B | 5.22B | 5.05B | 4.92B | 4.73B | 4.44B | 4.24B |
| Equity Attributable To Noncontrolling Interest (USD) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.72M | 4.55M |
| Equity (USD) | 10.84B | 9.80B | 7.69B | 7.30B | 6.45B | 6.12B | 5.86B | 5.39B | 5.22B | 5.05B | 4.92B | 4.73B | 4.44B | 4.24B |
| Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest (USD) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.00M | 7.00M | 7.00M | - | - | - | - |
| Other Non-current Liabilities (USD) | - | - | - | - | 5.78B | 5.85B | 5.63B | 4.96B | 4.55B | - | - | 3.86B | 3.95B | - |
| Long-term Debt (USD) | - | - | - | - | 9.66B | 8.66B | 7.64B | 6.81B | 6.32B | 5.91B | - | 5.24B | 5.33B | - |
| Noncurrent Liabilities (USD) | 19.86B | 18.35B | 17.28B | 16.64B | 15.43B | 14.52B | 13.27B | 11.77B | 10.87B | 3.66B | 9.97B | 9.11B | 9.28B | 9.05B |
| Other Current Liabilities (USD) | 4.37B | 1.86B | 2.56B | 1.91B | 2.69B | 1.84B | 1.92B | 2.13B | 2.24B | 1.41B | 955.20M | 970.94M | 715.22M | 1.25B |
| Accounts Payable (USD) | 378.00M | 294.00M | 254.00M | 235.00M | 189.00M | 203.00M | 175.00M | 195.00M | 154.00M | 126.00M | 285.80M | 264.59M | 279.61M | 243.71M |
| Current Liabilities (USD) | 4.75B | 2.15B | 2.81B | 2.14B | 2.88B | 2.05B | 2.09B | 2.33B | 2.39B | 1.53B | 1.24B | 1.24B | 994.83M | 1.49B |
| Liabilities (USD) | 24.61B | 20.50B | 20.09B | 18.78B | 18.31B | 16.56B | 15.36B | 14.10B | 13.26B | 12.19B | 11.22B | 10.34B | 10.27B | 10.54B |
| Other Non-current Assets (USD) | - | - | - | - | 3.15B | 3.17B | 3.03B | 2.52B | 2.71B | 2.65B | 2.44B | 2.13B | 2.48B | 2.36B |
| Fixed Assets (USD) | 37.96B | 32.19B | 29.74B | 27.41B | 19.71B | 18.23B | 17.41B | 16.25B | 14.99B | 13.93B | 13.03B | 12.39B | 11.74B | 11.02B |
| Noncurrent Assets (USD) | 33.25B | 28.91B | 26.54B | 24.52B | 22.86B | 21.40B | 20.44B | 18.76B | 17.70B | 16.58B | 15.47B | 14.52B | 14.22B | 13.38B |
| Current Assets (USD) | 2.19B | 1.39B | 1.25B | 1.55B | 1.91B | 1.29B | 781.00M | 720.00M | 784.00M | 657.00M | 661.37M | 550.39M | 499.45M | 1.40B |
| Assets (USD) | 35.44B | 30.30B | 27.79B | 26.08B | 24.77B | 22.68B | 21.22B | 19.48B | 18.48B | 17.24B | 16.13B | 15.07B | 14.72B | 14.78B |
With February's weak jobs report (92,000 jobs lost, 4.4% unemployment), Middle East tensions, and AI concerns, investors are rotating into defensive stocks and sectors. Recommended plays include healthcare, utilities, consumer staples, energy majors, defense contractors, and high-quality AI infrastructure leaders that offer stable cash flows and pricing power.
The global water and sewage market is projected to grow from $808.35 billion in 2026 to $1.04 trillion by 2030, with a CAGR of 6.8%. Growth drivers include demand for smart water infrastructure, climate-resilient systems, digital automation, and increased sewage treatment investments. Asia-Pacific and North America lead regional growth, with major players pursuing strategic acquisitions and innovative efficiency solutions.
American Water Works reported 2025 adjusted EPS of $5.64, up 8.9% year-over-year, near the upper end of guidance. The company affirmed 2026 EPS guidance of $6.02-$6.12 (8% growth) and maintained its 7-9% long-term growth target. AWK deployed $3.2 billion in capital investments and has 104,000 customer connections under agreement. The company is progressing toward closing its merger with Essential Utilities by end of Q1 2027, with regulatory approvals underway for the Nexus Water Group acquisition expected to close by August 2026.
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Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating four companies for potential violations of federal securities laws and breaches of fiduciary duties related to proposed mergers and acquisitions. The investigations involve American Water Works' merger with Essential Utilities, Semrush's sale to Adobe, and Middlefield Banc's sale to Farmers National Banc. The firm is seeking increased consideration for shareholders and additional disclosures.
American Water Works, the largest public water utility in the US, has delivered an impressive 11.6% average annualized return over 15 years. The company plans to merge with Essential Utilities, expanding its customer base and infrastructure while maintaining steady growth targets of 7-9% for earnings and dividends.
American Water Works Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.8275 per share, payable on March 3, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 10, 2026. This continues the dividend increase approved in April 2025.
Law firm Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating potential securities law violations and fiduciary duty breaches for several companies involving mergers and acquisitions.
American Water Works and Essential Utilities have agreed to an all-stock, tax-free merger creating a $40 billion water and wastewater utility serving 4.7 million connections across 17 states, with the deal expected to close by Q1 2027.
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