COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
AWR vs FE
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. AWR scored 56.7, FE scored 62.1 — FE leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. AWR's fundamentals are as of June 2026, but FE's are as of March 2026 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
AWR
American States Water Company
56.7
$88.63 · $3.5B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
5.4
FE leads
FE
FirstEnergy Corp.
62.1
$45.96 · $26.6B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- Fastest growthAWR+13.2%
- Strongest balance sheetAWR0.82
- Highest qualityAWR64 / 100
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
AWR
stronger →← stronger
FE
64
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
55
61
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
82
47
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
53
FE is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
AWR
FE
$21mC-
FCF
-$1.7bF
+13.2%B+
Rev
+11.3%B
0.82A-
D/E
2.01C
24.2xC
P/E
—
2.98C
PEG
1.68C+
—
P/S
1.7xA-
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
AWR
FE
648% above
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
—
~55%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
—
-87%
1-yr DCF upside
—
-87%
5-yr DCF upside
—
-87%
10-yr DCF upside
—
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
AWR
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Diluting shareholders
FE
Why this score
- Durable high returns
The companies
AWRAmerican States Water Company
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Water · market cap $3.5b. Trading near 52-week high of $90.42 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. Revenue growing +13%, comfortably above the S&P median.
Moat
Net margin 21% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 13% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere.
Risk
Trading within 2% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction.
FEFirstEnergy Corp.
Why now
Utilities - Regulated Electric · market cap $26.6b. 12% off the 52-week high of $52.34. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. 12 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $53.25 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
Higher-variance name — the moat signals on the quantitative card are modest, so the durability case rests on execution (turning current growth into durable earnings power) or an un-monetized asset (IP / network effects / first-mover position) rather than an entrenched competitive position.
Risk
D/E 2.01 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$1.7b) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Trailing P/E 97.8x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where AWR and FE diverge
On the headline score the gap is 5.4 points in favor of FE. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- GrowthAWR 60.5 · FE 81.6FE +21.1
- QualityAWR 64.0 · FE 55.3AWR +8.7
- ValueAWR 47.1 · FE 53.1FE +6.0
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.