American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) vs FirstEnergy Corp. (FE)
FE leads on 9 of 15 compared metrics, though AWK is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of American Water Works Company, Inc. and FirstEnergy Corp. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AWK
American Water Works Company, Inc.
$126.31Utilities
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
$47.03Utilities
Total return — AWK vs FE
growth of $100 · last 18yAWK +513.2%FE -38.7%AWK compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AWK FE
AWK vs FE: by the numbers
- •FE is the larger company ($27.20B vs $24.67B market cap).
- •AWK trades at the lower earnings multiple (22.36 vs 25.63 P/E).
- •AWK converts more revenue to profit (21.17% vs 6.86% net margin).
- •FE grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.52% vs 6.38% CAGR).
- •FE pays the higher dividend yield (3.83% vs 2.67%).
Which is better, AWK or FE?
Metric tally: AWK 6 · FE 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueAWK(lower P/E)
GrowthFE(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeFE(higher dividend yield)
QualityFE(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | AWK | FE |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 22.36● | 25.63 |
| Forward P/E | 19.25 | 15.97● |
| P/S ratio | 4.73 | 1.76● |
| P/B ratio | 2.23 | 2.16● |
| PEG ratio | 3.98● | 6.15 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.34 | 12.32● |
| FCF yield | — | 6.58% |
Profitability
| Metric | AWK | FE |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 43.55% | 53.77%● |
| Operating margin | 36.48%● | 18.72% |
| Net margin | 21.17%● | 6.86% |
| ROE | 9.98%● | 8.42% |
| ROIC | 4.21% | 4.46%● |
Dividends
| Metric | AWK | FE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.67% | 3.83%● |
| Payout ratio | 59.25% | 101.69% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AWK | FE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 6.38% | 7.52%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 7.78%● | -2.32% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | — | 7.07% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -2.64% | 8.26%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AWK or FE?
- It depends on your goal. value: AWK (lower P/E); growth: FE (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: FE (higher dividend yield); quality: FE (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, FE leads 9 to 6.
- Is AWK or FE cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, AWK is cheaper: AWK trades at a 22.36 P/E and FE at 25.63.
- Which has grown faster, AWK or FE?
- Over the past five years, FE grew revenue faster — AWK at a 6.38% CAGR versus FE at 7.52%.
- Does AWK or FE pay a bigger dividend?
- AWK yields 2.67% and FE yields 3.83% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AWK or FE more profitable?
- AWK runs the higher net margin — AWK at 21.17% versus FE at 6.86%.
- Which has been the better investment, AWK or FE?
- Over the past 10-year, FE delivered the higher annualized total return — AWK at 7.08% versus FE at 7.77%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Water Works P/E ratioFirstEnergy P/E ratioAmerican Water Works dividend yieldFirstEnergy dividend yieldAmerican Water Works ROEFirstEnergy ROEAmerican Water Works operating marginFirstEnergy operating marginAmerican Water Works revenue growthFirstEnergy revenue growthAmerican Water Works free cash flowFirstEnergy free cash flow
American Water Works & FirstEnergy appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 15, 2026.