AWK vs SO
American Water Works (AWK) and Southern (SO) compared side by side. Southern (SO) is larger, with a market cap of $106.9B versus $28.4B for American Water Works, about 3.8 times the size. On trailing earnings, SO is cheaper at 22.4x versus 24.7x for AWK.
Head to head
| Metric | AWK | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $28.4B | $106.9B |
| P/E (TTM) | 24.7x | 22.4x |
| Forward P/E | 21.7x | 18.9x |
| Revenue (TTM) | $5.3B | $30.2B |
| Revenue growth | 6.2% | 0.1% |
| Gross margin | 61.5% | 48.3% |
| Operating margin | 40.7% | 29.6% |
| Free cash flow | -$1.2B | -$3.3B |
| Dividend yield | 2.51% | 3.27% |
| 1-year return | +2.9% | -0.2% |
| 5-year return (annual) | -2.0% | +12.1% |
| Max drawdown | -37% | -38% |
| FI Handbook grade | C- | C- |
Highlighted: the stronger figure on metrics where higher or lower is clearly better.
Growth of $10,000 (5 years, price only)
AWK vs SO FAQ
Which is bigger, AWK or SO?
Southern (SO) is larger, with a market cap of $106.9B versus $28.4B for American Water Works, about 3.8 times the size.
Is AWK or SO cheaper?
On trailing earnings, SO is cheaper at 22.4x versus 24.7x for AWK. A lower P/E can reflect slower expected growth, so compare growth and margins too.
Which stock performed better over the past year, AWK or SO?
AWK returned +2.9% over the past year including dividends, versus -0.2% for SO, through October 23, 2026.
Which pays a higher dividend, AWK or SO?
SO yields 3.27% versus 2.51% for AWK.
Full pages: American Water Works · Southern