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AWK vs. DTE: American Water Works vs. DTE Energy Stock Comparison

How do American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AWK is classified in Water Utilities while DTE is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
Profile ItemAWKDTE
NameAmerican Water Works Company, Inc.DTE Energy Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryWater UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryWater UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization29.92 billion USD28.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 23, 2008January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AWK
DTE
GSPC
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Total Return (1Y)17.61%4.52%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.05%15.85%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.39%7.71%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AWK
DTE
GSPC
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.53%17.96%
Beta (5Y)0.540.34
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.10%-28.92%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.03M1.52M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AWK and DTE are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.590.01
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.950.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 9.95% and DTE Energy (DTE) at 11.02% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AWK

Utilities industry group

9.95%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
AWK
9.95%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%

DTE

Utilities industry group

11.02%

Max
17.99%
Q3
12.01%
DTE
11.02%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

American Water Works (AWK) at 21.26% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while DTE Energy (DTE) at 8.21% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

AWK

Utilities industry group

21.26%

Max
28.78%
AWK
21.26%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%

DTE

Utilities industry group

8.21%

Max
28.78%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
DTE
8.21%
Min
-0.20%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their net margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

American Water Works (AWK) at 43.18% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of DTE Energy (DTE) at 16.21%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AWK

Utilities industry group

43.18%

Max
53.83%
AWK
43.18%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%

DTE

Utilities industry group

16.21%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
Median
23.62%
DTE
16.21%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
ROE (TTM)9.95%11.02%
ROA (TTM)3.50%2.62%
Net Margin (TTM)21.26%8.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)43.18%16.21%
Gross Margin (TTM)61.86%28.89%

Growth

Revenue Growth

DTE Energy (DTE) at 26.95% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while American Water Works (AWK) at 9.74% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for DTE.

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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 5.57% and DTE Energy (DTE) at 3.84% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.74%26.95%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.67%-6.31%
EPS Growth (YoY)5.57%3.84%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.06%8.39%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 0.39 and DTE Energy (DTE) at 0.62 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

AWK

Utilities industry group

0.39

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
AWK
0.39
Min
0.29

DTE

Utilities industry group

0.62

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
DTE
0.62
Min
0.29
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

American Water Works (AWK) at 1.38 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while DTE Energy (DTE) at 2.27 uses more debt funding than most peers.

AWK

Utilities industry group

1.38

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
AWK
1.38
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00

DTE

Utilities industry group

2.27

Max
2.63
DTE
2.27
Q3
1.77
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.390.62
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.382.27
Net Debt / EBITDA5.498.00

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 2.26% and DTE Energy (DTE) at 3.46% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AWK

Utilities industry group

2.26%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
Median
2.85%
AWK
2.26%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%

DTE

Utilities industry group

3.46%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
DTE
3.46%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

American Water Works (AWK) at 59.60% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while DTE Energy (DTE) at 71.04% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

AWK

Utilities industry group

59.60%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
AWK
59.60%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%

DTE

Utilities industry group

71.04%

Max
113.04%
DTE
71.04%
Q3
68.72%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.26%3.46%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.60%71.04%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

DTE Energy (DTE) at 20.59 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while American Water Works (AWK) at 26.00 sits in the richer quartile — AWK needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

AWK

Utilities industry group

26.00

Max
31.22
AWK
26.00
Q3
23.30
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34

DTE

Utilities industry group

20.59

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
DTE
20.59
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

DTE Energy (DTE) at 1.69 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while American Water Works (AWK) at 5.60 sits in the pricier quartile — AWK costs more per dollar of sales.

AWK

Utilities industry group

5.60

Max
6.35
AWK
5.60
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

DTE

Utilities industry group

1.69

Max
6.35
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
DTE
1.69
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 2.51 and DTE Energy (DTE) at 2.22 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

AWK

Utilities industry group

2.51

Max
3.12
AWK
2.51
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34

DTE

Utilities industry group

2.22

Max
3.12
DTE
2.22
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. DTE Energy (DTE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and DTE Energy (DTE)
MetricAWKDTE
P/E Ratio (TTM)26.0020.59
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.601.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.512.22
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-5.45%-9.61%