American Water Works Company, Inc. $AWK Shares Purchased by KBC Group NV

KBC Group NV lifted its position in American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE:AWK) by 84.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 553,066 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 252,459 shares during the period. KBC Group NV owned 0.28% of American Water Works worth $72,175,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. American National Bank & Trust purchased a new stake in American Water Works in the third quarter valued at $26,000. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in American Water Works in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new stake in American Water Works in the third quarter valued at $28,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in American Water Works in the third quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in American Water Works in the third quarter valued at $33,000. 86.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on AWK. Bank of America raised shares of American Water Works from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their price target for the company from $117.00 to $139.00 in a report on Monday, January 12th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of American Water Works from $142.00 to $126.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of American Water Works in a report on Friday, March 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $140.89.

Key Headlines Impacting American Water Works

Here are the key news stories impacting American Water Works this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pennsylvania American Water awarded $25.87M in PENNVEST grants and low‑interest loans to fund dam safety, lead‑line removal and other infrastructure projects — reduces near‑term customer cost pressure and accelerates capital projects that expand regulated earnings. Pennsylvania American Water Receives PENNVEST Funding
• Positive Sentiment: Kentucky American Water completed the acquisition of the City of Livingston municipal water system (adds ~162 customers) — small customer adds today, but part of a broader inorganic growth program that supports rate‑base expansion over time. Kentucky American Water Completes Acquisition
• Positive Sentiment: West Virginia American Water announced a $550,000 infrastructure upgrade in Fayetteville — demonstrates continued localized capital spending and system upgrades across states. West Virginia Infrastructure Project
• Positive Sentiment: Illinois American Water and its charitable foundation provided >$1.2M in community support in 2025 — supports customer/stakeholder relations and regulatory goodwill. Illinois Community Support Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Iowa American Water (American Water parent) celebrates 140 years — positive brand/reputation signal but limited direct earnings impact. 140‑Year Milestone
• Neutral Sentiment: Tennessee American Water published its 2025 water quality reports and celebrated 25 years of recognition — reinforces operational quality but not material to near‑term cash flow. Tennessee Water Quality Reports
• Neutral Sentiment: American Water named recipients of its 2026 James V. LaFrankie scholarships — corporate social responsibility item with limited market impact. Scholarship Awards
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/compare pieces (Zacks CWT vs AWK; valuation assessments) are being published — useful for investors assessing relative value and multiples, but they reflect debate rather than new corporate developments. CWT vs AWK: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
• Negative Sentiment: Discussion in the financial press about American Water’s proposed ~$48B infrastructure push is raising questions about the size, funding mix and long‑term returns of heavy capex — could pressure valuation if investors worry about financing, execution or lower ROIC. Is American Water’s US$48 Billion Infrastructure Push Altering The Investment Case?

American Water Works Trading Up 0.2%

AWK stock opened at $130.56 on Friday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $134.39 and its 200-day simple moving average is $133.15. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. American Water Works Company, Inc. has a 52-week low of $121.28 and a 52-week high of $150.51. The firm has a market cap of $25.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.94, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.74.

American Water Works (NYSE:AWK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The utilities provider reported $1.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.28 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $1.27 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.29 billion. American Water Works had a net margin of 21.61% and a return on equity of 10.38%. American Water Works’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.15 EPS. American Water Works has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.020-6.120 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that American Water Works Company, Inc. will post 5.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About American Water Works

American Water Works Company, Inc (NYSE: AWK) is a publicly traded utility company that provides water and wastewater services in the United States. Its core business is the operation, management and maintenance of regulated water and wastewater systems that deliver potable water, collect and treat wastewater, and provide related customer services to residential, commercial and industrial customers as well as municipalities. The company’s operations include water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, meter reading and billing, emergency repairs, and long-term infrastructure planning and capital project execution.

In addition to its regulated utility operations, American Water offers complementary nonregulated services and solutions that support system reliability and customer needs.