AWK vs. ES: American Water Works vs. Eversource Energy Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES) 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 Eversource Energy (ES) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AWK is classified in Water Utilities while ES is classified in Electric Utilities.

Company profile comparison for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES)
Profile Item	AWK	ES
Name	American Water Works Company, Inc.	Eversource Energy
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Water Utilities	Electric Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Water Utilities	Electric Utilities
Market Capitalization	29.92 billion USD	26.31 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	April 23, 2008	February 21, 1973
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AWK

GSPC

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES), 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 Eversource Energy (ES). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES). 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 Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Total Return (1Y)	17.61%	0.35%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	9.05%	14.06%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-0.39%	0.61%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AWK

GSPC

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES), 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 Eversource Energy (ES). 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 Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	22.53%	24.60%
Beta (5Y)	0.54	0.65
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.10%	-41.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.03M	2.53M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AWK and ES 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 Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.59	-0.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.95	-0.20

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: American Water Works (AWK) earns 9.95% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Eversource Energy (ES) has no ROE this period.

AWK

Utilities industry group

9.95%

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

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%
ES: --

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): ES does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; AWK is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

American Water Works (AWK) at 21.26% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Eversource Energy (ES) at 10.38%, which keeps about the industry-typical 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%

ES

Utilities industry group

10.38%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
Median: 12.73%
ES: 10.38%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 21.14%, 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%

ES

Utilities industry group

21.14%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
Median: 23.62%
ES: 21.14%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
ROE (TTM)	9.95%	--
ROA (TTM)	3.50%	--
Net Margin (TTM)	21.26%	10.38%
Operating Margin (TTM)	43.18%	21.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)	61.86%	51.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 13.83% 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 ES.

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

EPS Growth

Eversource Energy (ES) at 100.88% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than American Water Works (AWK) at 5.57%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Revenue Growth (YoY)	9.74%	13.83%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.67%	3.30%
EPS Growth (YoY)	5.57%	100.88%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.06%	4.03%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: American Water Works (AWK) shows current ratio of 0.39 against its industry benchmark, while Eversource Energy (ES) has no reading this period.

AWK

Utilities industry group

0.39

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

ES

Utilities industry group

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.29
ES: --

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): ES does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; AWK is benchmarked against the Utilities industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

American Water Works (AWK) at 1.38 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.81 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

ES

Utilities industry group

1.81

Max: 2.63
ES: 1.81
Q3: 1.77
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): 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 Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.39	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.38	1.81
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.49	5.73

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 4.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while American Water Works (AWK) at 2.26% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, ES the richer one.

AWK

Utilities industry group

2.26%

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

ES

Utilities industry group

4.33%

Max: 6.66%
ES: 4.33%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): 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 Eversource Energy (ES) at 82.19% 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%

ES

Utilities industry group

82.19%

Max: 113.04%
ES: 82.19%
Q3: 68.72%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.26%	4.33%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	59.60%	82.19%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 18.43 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

ES

Utilities industry group

18.43

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
Median: 19.64
ES: 18.43
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.91 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

ES

Utilities industry group

1.91

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
Median: 2.63
ES: 1.91
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Eversource Energy (ES) at 1.61 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while American Water Works (AWK) at 2.51 carries an above-peer premium to book — AWK is pricier on assets.

AWK

Utilities industry group

2.51

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

ES

Utilities industry group

1.61

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
Median: 1.83
ES: 1.61
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

American Water Works (AWK) vs. Eversource Energy (ES): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and Eversource Energy (ES)
Metric	AWK	ES
P/E Ratio (TTM)	26.00	18.43
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.60	1.91
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.51	1.61
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-5.45%	--