AWK vs. NI: American Water Works vs. NiSource Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI) 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 NiSource (NI) both fall under the Utilities industry group, but AWK is classified in Water Utilities while NI is classified in Multi-Utilities.

Company profile comparison for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI)
Profile Item	AWK	NI
Name	American Water Works Company, Inc.	NiSource Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry Group	Utilities	Utilities
GICS Industry	Water Utilities	Multi-Utilities
GICS Sub-Industry	Water Utilities	Multi-Utilities
Market Capitalization	29.92 billion USD	21.18 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. NiSource (NI), 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 NiSource (NI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI). 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 NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Total Return (1Y)	17.61%	6.11%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	9.05%	25.66%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-0.39%	16.11%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AWK

GSPC

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI), 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 NiSource (NI). 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 NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	22.53%	18.23%
Beta (5Y)	0.54	0.53
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.10%	-24.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.03M	5.64M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AWK and NI 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 NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.59	0.10
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.95	0.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 9.95% and NiSource (NI) at 8.71% 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%

NI

Utilities industry group

8.71%

Max: 17.99%
Q3: 12.01%
Median: 9.44%
NI: 8.71%
Q1: 7.56%
Min: 2.17%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

American Water Works (AWK) at 21.26% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of NiSource (NI) at 13.51%, 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%

NI

Utilities industry group

13.51%

Max: 28.78%
Q3: 17.30%
NI: 13.51%
Median: 12.73%
Q1: 9.18%
Min: -0.20%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI): 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 NiSource (NI) at 25.20%, 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%

NI

Utilities industry group

25.20%

Max: 53.83%
Q3: 31.12%
NI: 25.20%
Median: 23.62%
Q1: 15.45%
Min: -4.90%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
ROE (TTM)	9.95%	8.71%
ROA (TTM)	3.50%	3.25%
Net Margin (TTM)	21.26%	13.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)	43.18%	25.20%
Gross Margin (TTM)	61.86%	50.92%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NiSource (NI) at 21.76% 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 NI.

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

EPS Growth

NiSource (NI) at 20.37% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while American Water Works (AWK) at 5.57% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NI.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Revenue Growth (YoY)	9.74%	21.76%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.67%	4.32%
EPS Growth (YoY)	5.57%	20.37%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.06%	4.68%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 0.39 and NiSource (NI) at 0.50 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

NI

Utilities industry group

0.50

Max: 1.90
Q3: 1.17
Median: 0.88
Q1: 0.66
NI: 0.50
Min: 0.29

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 1.38 and NiSource (NI) at 1.53 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AWK

Utilities industry group

1.38

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

NI

Utilities industry group

1.53

Max: 2.63
Q3: 1.77
NI: 1.53
Median: 1.35
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.00

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI): 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 NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.39	0.50
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.38	1.53
Net Debt / EBITDA	5.49	5.87

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 2.26% and NiSource (NI) at 0.68% 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%

NI

Utilities industry group

0.68%

Max: 6.66%
Q3: 3.58%
Median: 2.85%
NI: 0.68%
Q1: 0.66%
Min: 0.00%

American Water Works (AWK) vs. NiSource (NI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 59.60% and NiSource (NI) at 60.51% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AWK

Utilities industry group

59.60%

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

NI

Utilities industry group

60.51%

Max: 113.04%
Q3: 68.72%
NI: 60.51%
Median: 56.38%
Q1: 32.38%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.26%	0.68%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	59.60%	60.51%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

NiSource (NI) at 22.64 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

NI

Utilities industry group

22.64

Max: 31.22
Q3: 23.30
NI: 22.64
Median: 19.64
Q1: 15.17
Min: 3.34

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

NiSource (NI) at 3.04 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

NI

Utilities industry group

3.04

Max: 6.35
Q3: 3.63
NI: 3.04
Median: 2.63
Q1: 1.52
Min: 0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

NiSource (NI) at 2.21 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

NI

Utilities industry group

2.21

Max: 3.12
Q3: 2.21
NI: 2.21
Median: 1.83
Q1: 1.46
Min: 0.34

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and NiSource (NI)
Metric	AWK	NI
P/E Ratio (TTM)	26.00	22.64
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.60	3.04
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.51	2.21
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-5.45%	-10.51%