Core Viewpoint - Investors are seeking growth stocks that can deliver above-average growth and exceptional returns, but identifying such stocks is challenging due to their inherent risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Growth Stock Identification - The Zacks Growth Style Score system helps identify promising growth stocks by analyzing real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] - American States Water (AWR) is highlighted as a recommended stock with a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - Earnings growth is crucial for investors, with double-digit growth being particularly desirable [3] - American States Water has a historical EPS growth rate of 7.3%, with a projected EPS growth of 4.7% this year, significantly outperforming the industry average of 1.2% [4] Group 3: Asset Utilization - The asset utilization ratio, or sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, is an important metric for growth stocks [5] - American States Water has an S/TA ratio of 0.25, indicating it generates $0.25 in sales for every dollar in assets, compared to the industry average of 0.15 [6] Group 4: Sales Growth - The company is also well-positioned for sales growth, with expected sales growth of 5.6% this year, surpassing the industry average of 3.7% [6] Group 5: Earnings Estimate Revisions - Positive trends in earnings estimate revisions are correlated with stock price movements [7] - American States Water has seen a 1.2% increase in current-year earnings estimates over the past month [7] Group 6: Overall Positioning - American States Water holds a Zacks Rank of 2 and a Growth Score of B, positioning it well for potential outperformance in the growth stock category [9]

Core Viewpoint - American States Water (AWR) is anticipated to report a year-over-year increase in earnings driven by higher revenues, with the actual results being a significant factor influencing its near-term stock price [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is scheduled for May 7, 2025, with expectations of quarterly earnings at $0.70 per share, reflecting a +12.9% change year-over-year, and revenues projected at $142 million, a 5% increase from the previous year [3][2]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, indicating that analysts have not significantly altered their initial projections during this period [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model suggests that the Most Accurate Estimate for American States Water is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -5.04%, indicating a bearish outlook from analysts [10][11]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, American States Water exceeded the expected earnings of $0.60 per share by delivering $0.69, achieving a surprise of +15%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times [12][13]. Conclusion - Despite the potential for an earnings beat, American States Water does not currently appear to be a strong candidate for exceeding earnings expectations, and investors should consider additional factors when evaluating the stock ahead of the earnings release [16][14].