Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB Buys 2,269 Shares of American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE:AWK)

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lifted its position in American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE:AWK) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 54,677 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after buying an additional 2,269 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB’s holdings in American Water Works were worth $7,996,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of AWK. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of American Water Works by 21.6% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 31,283 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,023,000 after acquiring an additional 5,564 shares during the period. Swedbank AB increased its holdings in shares of American Water Works by 65.5% in the third quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 106,383 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $15,557,000 after purchasing an additional 42,094 shares during the last quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp increased its holdings in shares of American Water Works by 350.4% in the 2nd quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp now owns 10,360 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $1,338,000 after buying an additional 8,060 shares during the last quarter. MBB Public Markets I LLC purchased a new stake in shares of American Water Works during the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,610,000. Finally, Pathstone Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in shares of American Water Works by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 48,618 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $7,110,000 after acquiring an additional 4,944 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.58% of the company’s stock.

American Water Works Price Performance

Shares of AWK opened at $130.57 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $25.45 billion, a PE ratio of 25.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $136.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $137.84. American Water Works Company, Inc. has a 1-year low of $113.34 and a 1-year high of $150.68.

American Water Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be paid a $0.765 dividend. This represents a $3.06 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.34%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. American Water Works’s payout ratio is 60.59%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on AWK. Wolfe Research upgraded American Water Works to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $164.00 price objective on shares of American Water Works in a research note on Thursday, September 19th. Mizuho downgraded shares of American Water Works from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and increased their target price for the company from $131.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 15th. UBS Group raised shares of American Water Works from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $151.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on American Water Works in a research note on Monday, October 7th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $124.00 target price on the stock. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $142.29.

American Water Works Profile

American Water Works Company, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides water and wastewater services in the United States. It offers water and wastewater services to approximately 1,700 communities in 14 states serving approximately 3.5 million active customers. The company serves residential customers; commercial customers, including food and beverage providers, commercial property developers and proprietors, and energy suppliers; fire service and private fire customers; industrial customers, such as large-scale manufacturers, mining, and production operations; public authorities comprising government buildings and other public sector facilities, such as schools and universities; and other utilities and community water and wastewater systems.