AWK vs AWR vs BLGO Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, American States Water and Biolargo Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
AWR American States Water Co
$85.56 +3.3% 1M +12.4% 1Y
Market cap
$3.39B
P/E
23.5x
Revenue (TTM)
$697.48M
Div. yield
2.40%
Water Utilities Utilities
8 wins
BLGO Biolargo, Inc.
$0.07 -22.2% 1M -58.8% 1Y
Market cap
$23.01M
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$4.08M
Div. yield
–
Water Treatment Industrials
1 win

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

American States Water leads on 8 of the 12 questions below (American States Water 8, American Water Works Company 3, Biolargo 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionAWKAWRBLGOLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $28.03B $3.39B $23.01M AWK
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 24.5x 23.5x -1.6x AWR
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 24.7x 22.6x — AWR
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +6.9% +13.2% -70.9% AWR
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 21.3% 20.5% -354.8% AWK
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 6.2% 9.2% — AWR
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 5.5x 2.8x -0.2x BLGO
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 2.45% 2.40% — AWK
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +2.2% +12.4% -58.8% AWR
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -4.3%/yr -1.3%/yr -16.3%/yr AWR
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 22.8% 20.6% 91.7% AWR
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 54/100 59/100 12/100 AWR

Percentile Scorecard

AWKAWRBLGO

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisAWKAWRBLGO
Valuation 9 #61 of 67 20 #54 of 67 10 #19 of 21
Growth 59 #27 of 65 91 #7 of 65 0 #19 of 19
Profitability 95 #4 of 63 98 #2 of 63 6 #16 of 17
Financial Health 48 #33 of 63 84 #11 of 63 10 #20 of 22
Shareholder Returns 59 #28 of 67 5 #64 of 67 33 #7 of 10
Overall 54 59 12
  • AWK ranked among 67 companies in Regulated Utilities
  • AWR ranked among 67 companies in Regulated Utilities
  • BLGO ranked among 22 companies in Environmental Equipment

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodAWKAWRBLGOSPY
1 month +7.7%+3.3%-22.2% -0.2%
3 months +2.1%-2.9%-30.0% +3.9%
6 months +6.3%+7.7%-56.3% +8.2%
Year to date +8.1%+18.0%-61.1% +12.9%
1 year +2.2%+12.4%-58.8% +12.3%
3 years +21.2%+10.3%-56.3% +87.4%
3 years, per year +6.6%+3.3%-24.1% +23.3%
5 years -19.5%-6.1%-58.8% +67.9%
5 years, per year -4.3%-1.3%-16.3% +10.9%
10 years +95.0%+120.5%-90.3% +261.1%
10 years, per year +6.9%+8.2%-20.8% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureAWKAWRBLGOSPY
Volatility, 1Y 22.8%20.6%91.7% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 21.1%20.1%135.9% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y -0.46-0.290.23 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.100.60-0.64 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -39.7%-35.6%-82.5% -25.4%
From 52-week high -1.5%-6.1%-65.0% -1.2%
52-week high $143.25$91.11$0.20 $779.14
52-week low $121.13$70.10$0.07 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleAWKAWRBLGO
P/E now vs peer median 24.5xmedian 20.9x 23.5xmedian 20.9x -1.6xmedian 25.6x
P/S now vs peer median 5.3xmedian 2.9x 4.9xmedian 2.9x 5.6xmedian 2.4x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 15.2xmedian 13.2x 15.2xmedian 13.2x -1.4xmedian 16.7x
P/FCF now vs peer median -27.2xmedian 36.9x 163.5xmedian 36.9x -2.2xmedian 23.6x
P/B now vs peer median 2.4xmedian 1.7x 3.0xmedian 1.7x -8.4xmedian 2.0x
PEG now vs peer median 3.11median 2.31 5.04median 2.31 —median 1.68

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsAWKAWRBLGO
Revenue $5.28B $697.48M $4.08M
Gross profit – $635.88M $1.63M
Operating income $1.95B $222.11M -$18.12M
Net income $1.13B $143.13M -$18.79M
Free cash flow -$1.03B $20.75M -$10.56M
R&D – – $3.27M
EPS (diluted) $5.76 $3.63 –
Cash & equivalents $191.00M $21.66M $2.19M
Total debt $15.99B $790.96M $4.85M
Shares (diluted) 196.00M 39.48M –
Enterprise value $27.44B $3.30B $7.39M

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricAWKAWRBLGO
P/E 24.5x 23.5x -1.6x
P/FCF -27.2x 163.5x -2.2x
P/Operating cash flow 12.0x 14.3x -2.2x
P/S 5.3x 4.9x 5.6x
P/B 2.4x 3.0x -8.4x
P/Tangible book 2.4x 3.0x -8.4x
EV/EBITDA 15.2x 15.2x -1.4x
EV/EBIT 22.5x 18.7x -1.4x
EV/Revenue 8.3x 6.0x 6.3x
EV/FCF -42.6x 200.6x -2.4x
EV/Operating cash flow 18.8x 17.6x -2.5x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 3.11 5.04 –

Growth

14 metrics
MetricAWKAWRBLGO
Revenue growth (1Y) 6.9% 13.2% -70.9%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 9.3% 6.4% -22.5%
Gross profit growth (1Y) – 13.5% -74.4%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) – 6.5% -27.8%
Operating income growth (1Y) 8.3% 16.7% -185.8%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 11.0% 7.6% -60.3%
Net income growth (1Y) 4.2% 14.7% -184.9%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 8.1% 6.9% -62.6%
EPS growth (1Y) 3.6% 12.3% –
EPS CAGR (3Y) 7.9% 4.7% –
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 19.7% -0.5% -37.9%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 12.8% 44.4% -62.1%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -13.4% 730.5% -40.8%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) -7.5% 30.2% -57.1%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricAWKAWRBLGO
Gross margin – 91.2% 40.0%
EBITDA margin 54.6% 39.2% -434.2%
Operating margin 36.9% 31.8% -443.9%
Pretax margin 27.3% 27.0% -458.1%
Net margin 21.3% 20.5% -354.8%
FCF margin -19.5% 3.0% -258.6%
Operating cash flow margin 44.2% 33.9% -252.8%
Return on equity 9.9% 13.1% –
Return on assets 3.1% 5.2% -246.7%
Return on invested capital 6.2% 9.2% –
Return on capital employed 6.0% 8.8% -635.4%
Asset turnover 0.1x 0.3x 0.5x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 2.1x 1.7x 0.5x
Stock comp / revenue – 0.5% 59.3%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricAWKAWRBLGO
Debt / assets 43.9% 28.5% 72.8%
Debt / equity 1.4x 0.7x -1.8x
Net debt / EBITDA 5.5x 2.8x -0.2x
Debt / FCF -15.5x 38.1x -0.5x
Liabilities / assets 68.0% 59.6% 140.9%
Equity / assets 32.0% 40.4% -40.9%
Interest coverage 3.0x 4.7x -22.5x
Current ratio 0.5x 1.0x 0.7x
Quick ratio 0.3x 0.4x 0.6x
Cash ratio 0.1x 0.1x 0.5x
Altman Z-score 1.06 2.07 -42.03

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricAWKAWRBLGO
Dividend yield 2.5% 2.4% –
Net buyback yield – -2.4% -2.5%
Shareholder yield 2.5% 0.0% -2.5%
Payout ratio (earnings) 58.3% – –
Payout ratio (FCF) -63.9% – –
Dividend growth (1Y) 8.0% – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) 9.9% – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusAWKAWRBLGO
Forward P/E 24.7xFY2026 22.6xFY2026 –
EPS, next fiscal year $5.72FY2026 $3.78FY2026 $-0.05FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +0.5%FY2026 +12.2%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after +10.8% +5.0% –
Revenue, next fiscal year $5.14BFY2026 $759.00MFY2026 $5.48MFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +0.0%FY2026 +15.3%FY2026 -29.4%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +9.9% -4.8% +180.2%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersAWKAWRBLGO
Held by institutions 100.0% 82.8% –
Institutions holding 1,128 408 –
Change in shares held, QoQ +8.0% +3.5% –
Institutions buying 530 233 –
Institutions selling 416 105 –
Buyers to sellers 1.27 2.22 –

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

AWKAWRBLGO
AWK 1.00 0.74 0.05
AWR 0.74 1.00 0.00
BLGO 0.05 0.00 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, AWK, AWR and BLGO?

American Water Works Company (AWK) is the largest by market capitalisation: American Water Works Company (AWK) $28.03B, American States Water (AWR) $3.39B, Biolargo (BLGO) $23.01M.

Which stock is cheaper, AWK, AWR and BLGO?

American States Water (AWR) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (American Water Works Company (AWK) 24.5x, American States Water (AWR) 23.5x, Biolargo (BLGO) -1.6x). On next year's consensus earnings, American States Water (AWR) is cheapest (American Water Works Company (AWK) 24.7x, American States Water (AWR) 22.6x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

American States Water (AWR) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: American Water Works Company (AWK) +6.9%, American States Water (AWR) +13.2%, Biolargo (BLGO) -70.9%.

Which company is more profitable?

American Water Works Company (AWK) has the highest net margin (American Water Works Company (AWK) 21.3%, American States Water (AWR) 20.5%, Biolargo (BLGO) -354.8%). On return on invested capital, American States Water (AWR) leads (American Water Works Company (AWK) 6.2%, American States Water (AWR) 9.2%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year American States Water (AWR) returned the most: American Water Works Company (AWK) +2.2%, American States Water (AWR) +12.4%, Biolargo (BLGO) -58.8%. Over five years, American States Water (AWR) compounded fastest (American Water Works Company (AWK) -4.3%/yr, American States Water (AWR) -1.3%/yr, Biolargo (BLGO) -16.3%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

American Water Works Company (AWK) has the highest dividend yield: American Water Works Company (AWK) 2.45%, American States Water (AWR) 2.40%. Biolargo (BLGO) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, American States Water (AWR) has been the steadiest (American Water Works Company (AWK) 22.8%, American States Water (AWR) 20.6%, Biolargo (BLGO) 91.7%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, AWK, AWR and BLGO?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, American States Water (AWR) leads on 8. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.