AMERICAN WATER REPORTS STRONG 2025 RESULTS; AFFIRMS 2026 EPS GUIDANCE AND LONG-TERM TARGETS
Rhea-AI Summary
American Water (NYSE: AWK) reported 2025 GAAP earnings of $5.69 per share and 2025 adjusted earnings of $5.64 per share, and affirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.02–$6.12. The company invested $3.2 billion in capital in 2025 and delivered 8.2% dividend growth. Shareholders approved merger-related proposals with Essential Utilities; the company repaid a $795 million secured seller note on Feb 13, 2026.
The company affirmed long-term EPS and dividend growth targets of 7–9% and noted higher operating, depreciation, and interest expenses tied to its capital program.
Positive
- Invested $3.2 billion in capital in 2025
- Affirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.02–$6.12
- Affirmed long-term EPS and dividend growth targets of 7–9%
- Repaid $795 million HOS secured seller note on Feb 13, 2026
- Declared quarterly dividend of $0.8275 payable Mar 3, 2026
Negative
- Operating expenses higher by $260 million year-over-year in 2025
- Depreciation expense increased by $111 million year-over-year in 2025
- Interest expense higher by $58 million year-over-year in 2025
- Transaction costs related to pending merger increased adjusted non-GAAP adjustments by $0.07 for 2025
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
AWK is roughly flat over 24 hours (0.01%), while key peers WTRG, AEE, ATO, DTE, and FE each show declines of about 1–2%, suggesting a stock-specific reaction to the earnings and guidance rather than a broad utilities move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 10 | Merger approvals | Positive | -1.1% | Shareholders of AWK and Essential approved merger-related proposals at special meetings. |
| Feb 09 | Industry conference | Positive | -1.1% | AWK joined NARUC policy summit panels on resilience, AI, and leak detection. |
| Feb 04 | Community grants | Positive | +1.1% | New Jersey American Water opened 2026 Fire and EMS grant program up to $2,500. |
| Feb 04 | Leadership hire | Neutral | -1.3% | California American Water named a new Southern California Principal of Business Development. |
| Feb 04 | Community recognition | Neutral | -1.3% | Illinois American Water president named to Scott Air Force Base Honorary Commanders program. |
Recent corporate and civic news, including merger approvals, has sometimes been followed by modest negative price reactions, suggesting occasional short-term selloffs around otherwise constructive announcements.
Over recent weeks, AWK has focused on strategic and community initiatives alongside its pending merger with Essential Utilities. On Feb 10, 2026, shareholders of both companies overwhelmingly approved merger-related proposals, though AWK fell about 1% afterward. Earlier in February, the company highlighted participation in the NARUC policy summit and community-focused programs in New Jersey and Illinois, with mixed short-term price responses. Today’s strong 2025 results and affirmed 2026 guidance build on this backdrop of regulatory engagement, infrastructure investment, and merger execution.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights strong 2025 performance, with GAAP EPS of $5.69, adjusted EPS of $5.64, and dividend growth of 8.2%, supported by $3.2 billion in capital investment and multiple regulated acquisitions. Management reaffirmed 2026 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.02–$6.12 and long-term 7–9% EPS and dividend growth targets. Investors may track regulatory outcomes, progress on the Essential Utilities merger, execution of planned infrastructure spending, and future rate cases as key drivers of the company’s earnings trajectory.
Key Terms
gaap financial
non-gaap financial
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regulation fd regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
- 2025 GAAP earnings of
per share, compared to$5.69 per share in 2024 and fourth quarter 2025 GAAP earnings of$5.39 per share, compared to$1.22 in the fourth quarter 2024$1.22 - 2025 results of
per share exclude$5.74 of transaction costs associated with pending merger with Essential Utilities; achieved the upper half of the earnings guidance range of$0.05 to$5.70 per share$5.75 - Excluding transaction costs for the pending merger and incremental interest income from the HOS secured seller note, 2025 adjusted earnings of
per share, compared to$5.64 per share in 2024, an$5.18 8.9% increase
- 2025 results of
- Delivered dividend growth of
8.2% for the year - Invested
in capital in 2025, driven by system need in support of water quality and reliability$3.2 billion - HOS
secured seller note repaid in full on February 13, 2026$795 million - Affirmed long-term EPS and dividend growth targets of 7
-9% - On February 10, 2026, shareholders of American Water and Essential Utilities overwhelmingly approved their merger-related proposals
"American Water once again successfully executed on its EPS and dividend guidance and plan in 2025. We invested
"We were also very pleased that, last week, shareholders of American Water and Essential Utilities overwhelmingly approved the respective proposals related to the pending merger announced last October," added Griffith. "This milestone further affirms the benefits of the merger - enhancing scale and combining two highly complementary businesses with significant growth potential that will benefit all stakeholders."
2026 Adjusted Earnings Per Share Guidance and Long-Term Financial Targets Affirmed
The company affirms its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance range of
Consolidated Results Adjusted Earnings per Share Reconciliation (A Non-GAAP, unaudited measure)
For the Three Months Ended | For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||
2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
Diluted earnings per share (GAAP): | |||||||
Net income attributable to shareholders | $ 1.22 | $ 1.22 | $ 5.69 | $ 5.39 | |||
Non-GAAP adjustments: | |||||||
Estimated impact of favorable weather | — | (0.07) | — | (0.16) | |||
Income tax impact | — | 0.02 | — | 0.04 | |||
Net non-GAAP adjustment | — | (0.05) | — | (0.12) | |||
Incremental interest income from amended HOS seller note | (0.03) | (0.03) | (0.13) | (0.12) | |||
Income tax impact | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.03 | |||
Net non-GAAP adjustment | (0.02) | (0.02) | (0.10) | (0.09) | |||
Transaction costs associated with the pending merger with | 0.05 | — | 0.07 | — | |||
Income tax impact | (0.01) | — | (0.02) | — | |||
Net non-GAAP adjustment | 0.04 | — | 0.05 | — | |||
Total net adjustments | 0.02 | (0.07) | (0.05) | (0.21) | |||
Adjusted diluted earnings per share (non-GAAP) | $ 1.24 | $ 1.15 | $ 5.64 | $ 5.18 | |||
For the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2025, adjusted earnings per share (a non-GAAP measure) were
In 2025, the company invested
Regulated Businesses
In the fourth quarter of 2025, the Regulated Businesses' net income was
Operating revenues increased
Since January 1, 2025, the company has been authorized additional annualized revenues of approximately
Operating expenses were higher by
Interest expense was higher by
Dividends
On December 5, 2025, the company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend payment of
2025 Fourth Quarter and Year-End Earnings Conference Call
The conference call to discuss the fourth quarter and year-end 2025 earnings, 2026 adjusted EPS guidance, and affirmation of long-term targets will take place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Interested parties may listen to an audio webcast through a link on the company's Investor Relations website at ir.amwater.com. Presentation slides that will be used in conjunction with the earnings conference call will also be made available online in advance at ir.amwater.com. The company recognizes its website as a key channel of distribution to reach public investors and as a means of disclosing material non-public information to comply with its obligations under SEC Regulation FD.
Following the earnings conference call, a replay of the audio webcast will be available for one year on American Water's Investor Relations website at ir.amwater.com/events.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in
For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Throughout this press release, unless the context otherwise requires, references to the "company" and "American Water" mean American Water Works Company, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries, taken together as a whole. All statements related to earnings and earnings per share refer to diluted earnings and earnings per share.
Adjustments to GAAP
This press release includes presentations of consolidated adjusted diluted earnings per share, both as historical financial information and as earnings guidance. These presentations of adjusted EPS constitute "non-GAAP financial measures" under SEC rules. The most directly comparable GAAP measure for historical adjusted EPS is the reported diluted earnings per share (GAAP) and is reconciled in this press release.
These non-GAAP financial measures are derived from the company's consolidated financial information but are not presented in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. These measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company believes that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with useful information by excluding certain matters that may not be indicative of the company's ongoing operating results, and, with respect to weather, to provide for a measure of the company's operating performance without the variability of estimated weather impacts, and that providing these non-GAAP measures will allow investors to better understand the businesses' operating performance and facilitate a meaningful year-to-year comparison of the company's results of operations. Although management uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally to evaluate the company's results of operations, management does not intend results reflected by these non-GAAP measures to represent results as defined by GAAP, and the reader should not consider them as indicators of performance. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures as defined and used above may not be comparable to similarly titled non-GAAP measures used by other companies, and, accordingly, they may have significant limitations on their use.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made, referred to or relied upon in this press release including, without limitation, 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance, the company's long-term financial, growth and dividend targets, the ability to achieve the company's strategies and goals, customer affordability and acquired customer growth, the outcome of the company's pending acquisition activity (including, without limitation, with respect to the proposed merger with Essential Utilities and the proposed acquisition of systems owned indirectly by Nexus Water Group, Inc.), the amount and allocation of projected capital expenditures, the company's capital recovery outlook, and estimated revenues from rate cases and other government agency authorizations, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Federal securities laws. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words with prospective meanings such as "intend," "plan," "estimate," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "predict," "project," "propose," "assume," "forecast," "outlook," "likely," "uncertain," "future," "pending," "goal," "objective," "potential," "continue," "seek to," "may," "can," "will," "should" and "could" and or the negative of such terms or other variations or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are predictions based on American Water's current expectations and assumptions regarding future events. They are not guarantees or assurances of any outcomes, financial results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon them. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. The company's actual results may vary materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release as a result of the factors discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and subsequent filings with the SEC, and because of factors such as: the decisions of governmental and regulatory bodies, including decisions to raise or lower customer rates; the timeliness and outcome of regulatory commissions' and other authorities' actions concerning rates, capital structure, authorized return on equity, capital investment, system acquisitions and dispositions, taxes, permitting, water supply and management, and other decisions; changes in customer demand for, and patterns of use of, water and energy, such as may result from conservation efforts, or otherwise; limitations on the availability of the company's water supplies or sources of water, or restrictions on its use thereof, resulting from allocation rights, governmental or regulatory requirements and restrictions, drought, overuse or other factors; a loss of one or more large industrial or commercial customers due to adverse economic conditions, or other factors; present and future proposed changes in laws, governmental regulations and policies, including with respect to the environment (such as, for example, potential improvements to existing Federal regulations with respect to lead and copper service lines and galvanized steel pipe), health and safety, data and consumer privacy, security and protection, water quality and water quality accountability, contaminants of emerging concern (including without limitation per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively, "PFAS")), public utility and tax regulations and policies, and impacts resulting from
These forward-looking statements are qualified by, and should be read together with, the risks and uncertainties set forth above, and the risk factors included in the company's annual, quarterly and other SEC filings, and readers should refer to such risks, uncertainties and risk factors in evaluating such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements the company makes shall speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by the federal securities laws, the company does not have any obligation, and it specifically disclaims any undertaking or intention, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the company to predict all such factors. Furthermore, it may not be possible to assess the impact of any such factor on the company's businesses, either viewed independently or together, or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive.
AWK-IR
American Water Works Company, Inc. and Subsidiary Companies | |||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations | |||||||
(In millions, except per share data) | |||||||
For the Three Months Ended | For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||
2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||
(Unaudited) | |||||||
Operating revenues | $ 1,271 | $ 1,201 | $ 5,140 | $ 4,684 | |||
Operating expenses: | |||||||
Operation and maintenance | 548 | 519 | 2,019 | 1,858 | |||
Depreciation and amortization | 231 | 207 | 894 | 788 | |||
General taxes | 88 | 74 | 348 | 320 | |||
Other | (1) | 1 | — | — | |||
Total operating expenses, net | 866 | 801 | 3,261 | 2,966 | |||
Operating income | 405 | 400 | 1,879 | 1,718 | |||
Other income (expense): | |||||||
Interest expense | (162) | (136) | (615) | (523) | |||
Interest income | 23 | 23 | 90 | 94 | |||
Non-operating benefit costs, net | 4 | 5 | 16 | 28 | |||
Other, net | 12 | 11 | 52 | 42 | |||
Total other income (expense) | (123) | (97) | (457) | (359) | |||
Income before income taxes | 282 | 303 | 1,422 | 1,359 | |||
Provision for income taxes | 44 | 64 | 311 | 308 | |||
Net income attributable to common shareholders | $ 238 | $ 239 | $ 1,111 | $ 1,051 | |||
Basic earnings per share: (a) | |||||||
Net income attributable to common shareholders | $ 1.22 | $ 1.22 | $ 5.69 | $ 5.39 | |||
Diluted earnings per share: (a) | |||||||
Net income attributable to common shareholders | $ 1.22 | $ 1.22 | $ 5.69 | $ 5.39 | |||
Weighted-average common shares outstanding: | |||||||
Basic | 195 | 195 | 195 | 195 | |||
Diluted | 195 | 195 | 195 | 195 | |||
(a) | Amounts may not calculate due to rounding. |
American Water Works Company, Inc. and Subsidiary Companies | |||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||
(In millions, except share and per share data) | |||
December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | ||
ASSETS | |||
Property, plant and equipment | $ 37,955 | $ 35,059 | |
Accumulated depreciation | (7,379) | (7,021) | |
Property, plant and equipment, net | 30,576 | 28,038 | |
Current assets: | |||
Cash and cash equivalents | 98 | 96 | |
Restricted funds | 21 | 29 | |
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for uncollectible accounts of | 395 | 416 | |
Income tax receivable | 9 | 25 | |
Unbilled revenues | 433 | 315 | |
Materials and supplies | 112 | 103 | |
Secured seller promissory note from the sale of the Homeowner Services Group | 795 | — | |
Other | 328 | 231 | |
Total current assets | 2,191 | 1,215 | |
Regulatory and other long-term assets: | |||
Regulatory assets | 1,132 | 1,150 | |
Secured seller promissory note from the sale of the Homeowner Services Group | — | 795 | |
Operating lease right-of-use assets | 85 | 89 | |
Goodwill | 1,156 | 1,144 | |
Other | 302 | 399 | |
Total regulatory and other long-term assets | 2,675 | 3,577 | |
Total assets | $ 35,442 | $ 32,830 | |
American Water Works Company, Inc. and Subsidiary Companies | |||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||
(In millions, except share and per share data) | |||
December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | ||
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES | |||
Capitalization: | |||
Common stock ( | $ 2 | $ 2 | |
Paid-in-capital | 8,642 | 8,598 | |
Retained earnings | 2,575 | 2,112 | |
Accumulated other comprehensive income | 6 | 12 | |
Treasury stock, at cost (5,428,008 and 5,451,216 shares, respectively) | (388) | (392) | |
Total common shareholders' equity | 10,837 | 10,332 | |
Long-term debt | 12,777 | 12,518 | |
Redeemable preferred stock at redemption value | 3 | 3 | |
Total long-term debt | 12,780 | 12,521 | |
Total capitalization | 23,617 | 22,853 | |
Current liabilities: | |||
Short-term debt | 1,588 | 879 | |
Current portion of long-term debt | 1,479 | 637 | |
Accounts payable | 378 | 346 | |
Accrued liabilities | 830 | 791 | |
Accrued taxes | 134 | 156 | |
Accrued interest | 140 | 111 | |
Other | 198 | 230 | |
Total current liabilities | 4,747 | 3,150 | |
Regulatory and other long-term liabilities: | |||
Advances for construction | 435 | 383 | |
Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits | 3,190 | 2,881 | |
Regulatory liabilities | 1,416 | 1,416 | |
Operating lease liabilities | 74 | 76 | |
Accrued pension expense | 167 | 217 | |
Other | 166 | 277 | |
Total regulatory and other long-term liabilities | 5,448 | 5,250 | |
Contributions in aid of construction | 1,630 | 1,577 | |
Commitments and contingencies | |||
Total capitalization and liabilities | $ 35,442 | $ 32,830 | |
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SOURCE American Water
