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

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

Company profile comparison for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
Profile ItemAWKWEC
NameAmerican Water Works Company, Inc.WEC Energy Group Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorUtilitiesUtilities
GICS Industry GroupUtilitiesUtilities
GICS IndustryWater UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
GICS Sub-IndustryWater UtilitiesMulti-Utilities
Market Capitalization29.92 billion USD38.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 23, 2008March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

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

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC). 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Total Return (1Y)17.61%7.80%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.05%18.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.39%9.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AWK
WEC
GSPC
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC), 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 WEC Energy (WEC). 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)22.53%17.21%
Beta (5Y)0.540.43
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.10%-26.02%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.03M2.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AWK and WEC 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.590.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.950.31

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 12.49% sits in the top ROE quartile, while American Water Works (AWK) at 9.95% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WEC.

AWK

Utilities industry group

9.95%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

12.49%

Max
17.99%
WEC
12.49%
Q3
12.01%
Median
9.44%
Q1
7.56%
Min
2.17%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their ROE against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both American Water Works (AWK) at 21.26% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 17.53% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

AWK

Utilities industry group

21.26%

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

17.53%

Max
28.78%
WEC
17.53%
Q3
17.30%
Median
12.73%
Q1
9.18%
Min
-0.20%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 25.44%, 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

25.44%

Max
53.83%
Q3
31.12%
WEC
25.44%
Median
23.62%
Q1
15.45%
Min
-4.90%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
ROE (TTM)9.95%12.49%
ROA (TTM)3.50%3.08%
Net Margin (TTM)21.26%17.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)43.18%25.44%
Gross Margin (TTM)61.86%42.36%

Growth

Revenue Growth

WEC Energy (WEC) at 13.96% 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 WEC.

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

EPS Growth

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 5.57% and WEC Energy (WEC) at -0.41% 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. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.74%13.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.67%0.70%
EPS Growth (YoY)5.57%-0.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.06%2.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 0.39 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 0.53 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

0.53

Max
1.90
Q3
1.17
Median
0.88
Q1
0.66
WEC
0.53
Min
0.29
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 1.38 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 1.54 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

1.54

Max
2.63
Q3
1.77
WEC
1.54
Median
1.35
Q1
0.84
Min
0.00
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.390.53
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.381.54
Net Debt / EBITDA5.495.66

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 2.26% and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.17% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.17%

Max
6.66%
Q3
3.58%
WEC
3.17%
Median
2.85%
Q1
0.66%
Min
0.00%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 68.18% 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%

WEC

Utilities industry group

68.18%

Max
113.04%
Q3
68.72%
WEC
68.18%
Median
56.38%
Q1
32.38%
Min
0.00%
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.26%3.17%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)59.60%68.18%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

WEC Energy (WEC) at 21.07 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

21.07

Max
31.22
Q3
23.30
WEC
21.07
Median
19.64
Q1
15.17
Min
3.34
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both American Water Works (AWK) at 5.60 and WEC Energy (WEC) at 3.69 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

AWK

Utilities industry group

5.60

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

WEC

Utilities industry group

3.69

Max
6.35
WEC
3.69
Q3
3.63
Median
2.63
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): 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 WEC Energy (WEC) at 2.62 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

WEC

Utilities industry group

2.62

Max
3.12
WEC
2.62
Q3
2.21
Median
1.83
Q1
1.46
Min
0.34
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American Water Works (AWK) vs. WEC Energy (WEC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Utilities industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for American Water Works (AWK) and WEC Energy (WEC)
MetricAWKWEC
P/E Ratio (TTM)26.0021.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.603.69
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.512.62
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-5.45%-5.16%