WallStSmart

American Water Works (AWK)vsGlobal Water Resources Inc (GWRS)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

American Water Works generates 9118% more annual revenue ($5.14B vs $55.76M). AWK leads profitability with a 21.6% profit margin vs 5.3%. AWK appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.45. AWK earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 62/100 (C+).

AWK

Buy

62

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 6.0Profit: 7.5Value: 7.3Quality: 3.3
Piotroski: 2/9Altman Z: 0.64

GWRS

Avoid

34

out of 100

Grade: F

Growth: 4.0Profit: 4.0Value: 2.0Quality: 5.0
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

AWKSignificantly Overvalued (-219.7%)

Margin of Safety

-219.7%

Fair Value

$38.69

Current Price

$134.59

$95.90 premium

UndervaluedFair: $38.69Overvalued
GWRSSignificantly Overvalued (-1114.7%)

Margin of Safety

-1114.7%

Fair Value

$0.75

Current Price

$7.37

$6.62 premium

UndervaluedFair: $0.75Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

AWK3 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Operating MarginProfitability
32.2%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 32.2%

Profit MarginProfitability
21.6%9/10

Keeps 22 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Price/BookValuation
2.4x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

GWRS1 strengths · Avg: 8.0/10
Price/BookValuation
2.4x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Areas to Watch

AWK4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.454/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

EPS GrowthGrowth
0.0%4/10

0.0% earnings growth

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

Free Cash FlowQuality
$-385.00M2/10

Negative free cash flow — burning cash

GWRS4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
2.2%4/10

2.2% revenue growth

Market CapQuality
$215.10M3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Return on EquityProfitability
4.4%3/10

ROE of 4.4% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
5.3%3/10

5.3% margin — thin

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : AWK

The strongest argument for AWK centers on Operating Margin, Profit Margin, Price/Book. Profitability is solid with margins at 21.6% and operating margin at 32.2%.

Bull Case : GWRS

The strongest argument for GWRS centers on Price/Book.

Bear Case : AWK

The primary concerns for AWK are PEG Ratio, EPS Growth, Piotroski F-Score.

Bear Case : GWRS

The primary concerns for GWRS are Revenue Growth, Market Cap, Return on Equity. A P/E of 68.0x leaves little room for execution misses.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

AWK profiles as a mature stock while GWRS is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.

GWRS carries more volatility with a beta of 0.99 — expect wider price swings.

AWK is growing revenue faster at 5.8% — sustainability is the question.

GWRS generates stronger free cash flow (-15M), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

AWK scores higher overall (62/100 vs 34/100), backed by strong 21.6% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Avoid" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

American Water Works

UTILITIES · UTILITIES - REGULATED WATER · USA

American Water is an American public utility company operating in the United States and Canada.

Global Water Resources Inc

UTILITIES · UTILITIES - REGULATED WATER · USA

Global Water Resources, Inc., a water resources management company, owns, operates and manages regulated water, wastewater and recycled water services primarily in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. The company is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?