Why Is American Water Works (AWK) Up 2.5% Since Last Earnings Report?

Core Viewpoint - American Water Works reported strong third-quarter earnings, beating estimates and showing significant revenue growth, while also announcing a merger with Essential Utilities, Inc. that is expected to enhance its market position. Financial Performance - The company reported Q3 2025 earnings per share (EPS) of $1.94, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.90 by 2.1% and improving 7.8% from $1.80 in the same quarter last year [2] - Total revenues for the quarter were $1.45 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.32 billion by 19.6% and increasing 9.8% year-over-year [3] - Operating income reached $614 million, up 13.1% from $543 million in the previous year [5] Segment Performance - Net revenues from regulated businesses were $1.34 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 10.2% [4] - Other segment revenues amounted to $108 million, up 3.8% year-over-year [4] Operating Expenses - Total operating expenses for Q3 were $837 million, a 7.3% increase from $780 million in the prior year, driven by higher employee-related and technology costs [5] Merger Announcement - The company announced a merger agreement with Essential Utilities, Inc., projected to create a leading regulated U.S. water and wastewater utility with a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $63 billion [8] - Essential shareholders will receive 0.305 shares of American Water for each share they own, representing a 10% premium [9] Long-Term Guidance - American Water reiterated its 2025 EPS guidance in the range of $5.70 to $5.75, with a 2026 EPS expectation of $6.02 to $6.12 [10] - The company plans to invest $3.7 billion in 2026 and anticipates long-term capital expenditures of $19-$20 billion from 2026-2030 and $46-$48 billion from 2026-2035 [11] Market Sentiment - Estimates for the stock have trended downward recently, with a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of in-line returns in the coming months [12][14]