American Water Works (AWK) vs Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp (SBS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp (SBS) has outperformed American Water Works (AWK) over the past year, gaining 36.6% versus a loss of 10.6%. Over five years, SBS leads with a +343.6% price change compared with -25.7% for AWK. American Water Works is the larger company by market cap ($25.31 billion vs $22.40 billion), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp trades at a lower forward P/E (14.7x vs 19.4x for American Water Works). Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp offers the higher dividend yield (10.42% vs 2.65%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AWK | SBS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $127.38 | $6.37 |
| Market cap | $25.31B | $22.40B |
| 1-day change | -0.52% | -0.62% |
| YTD return | -2.39% | +33.54% |
| 1-year return | -10.62% | +36.58% |
| 5-year return | -25.69% | +343.59% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 22.08 | 14.48 |
| Forward P/E | 19.40 | 14.75 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.77 | $0.44 |
| Dividend yield | 2.65% | 10.42% |
| Annual dividend | $3.38 | $0.664 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $5.12B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +10.06% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.11B | — |
| Operating margin | 36.69% | — |
| Net margin | 21.69% | — |
| 52-week high | $145.64 | $7.16 |
| 52-week low | $120.57 | $4.43 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -12.54% | -11.01% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +11.05% | +5.81% |
| Average volume | 2.07M | 8.57M |
| Shares outstanding | 198.73M | 3.52B |
| Employees | 7,000 | 8,914 |
| Sector | Utilities | Utilities |
| Industry | Water Supply | Water Supply |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- SBS has outperformed AWK by 47.2 percentage points over the past year.
- American Water Works trades at a higher earnings multiple (22.1x vs 14.5x trailing P/E).
- Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (10.42% vs 2.65%).
About American Water Works
AWK stock →American Water Works Company, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides water and wastewater services in the United States. It offers water and wastewater services on military installations; and undertakes contracts with municipal customers, primarily to operate and manage water and wastewater facilities, as well as offers other related services.
Utilities · Water Supply · 7,000 employees
About Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp
SBS stock →Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo - SABESP provides basic and environmental sanitation services in the São Paulo State, Brazil. It supplies treated water and sewage services on a wholesale basis.
Utilities · Water Supply · 8,914 employees
AWK vs SBS FAQ
Which is bigger, American Water Works or Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp?
American Water Works (AWK) is larger, with a market capitalization of $25.31B compared with $22.40B for Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp (SBS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AWK or SBS?
SBS returned +36.58% over the past 12 months, compared with -10.62% for AWK (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, AWK or SBS?
SBS has the lower trailing P/E at 14.5, versus 22.1 for AWK. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, American Water Works or Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp?
Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp has the higher yield at 10.42%, compared with 2.65% for American Water Works.
Are American Water Works and Companhia de saneamento Basico Do Estado De Sao Paulo - Sabesp in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Water Supply industry within the Utilities sector.