Analyzing American States Water Co. (NYSE: AWR): Insider Sale and Strong Q1 Financials

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • May 15, 2026

• Insider Transaction: A senior executive at American States Water Co. sold 1,304 shares, though still retaining a significant holding.
• Robust Q1 Performance: The utility company reported a strong first quarter with earnings per share (EPS) up 8.6% and total revenues increasing by 14.3%.
• Positive Analyst Outlook: Both American States Water Co. and its competitor Sabesp (NYSE: SBS) hold a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), indicating a favorable investment sentiment.

American States Water Co. (NYSE: AWR) is a leading utility stock with a market capitalization of about $2.97 billion. It primarily provides essential water and electric services. In a comparison by Zacks Investment Research, both American States Water Co. and its competitor Sabesp (NYSE: SBS) hold a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), suggesting a positive investment outlook from analysts.

The main theme centers on an insider transaction. On May 15, 2026, Rowley Paul J, the company's SVP of Operations, sold 1,304 common shares at a price of $76.05 per share. After this sale, the executive continues to hold 6,520 shares in American States Water.

This sale follows the company's first-quarter 2026 financial report. American States Water Co. announced earnings per share (EPS) of $0.76, which is an 8.6% increase from the same period last year. As highlighted by Zacks, this result was just one penny short of what financial analysts had predicted for the quarter.

The company’s total revenues for the quarter increased by 14.3% to $169.2 million. This growth comes from its Water, Electric, and Contracted Services divisions. Operating cash flow, the money generated from regular business activities, saw a large increase, reaching $71.7 million. The company plans to spend between $185 million and $225 million on capital projects in 2026.

Currently, American States Water Co.'s stock price trades at $75.72, with a daily price range between $75.66 and $77.62. Over the past year, the utility stock has traded as low as $69.45 and as high as $81.24. The daily trading volume is 212,790 shares.