Strategic Financial Concepts LLC Makes New Investment in American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE:AWK)

Strategic Financial Concepts LLC purchased a new position in American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE:AWK) during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 13,780 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $1,715,000.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Crews Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of American Water Works in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of American Water Works by 155.6% in the 3rd quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 299 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Water Works in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $51,000. Assetmark Inc. grew its position in shares of American Water Works by 31.7% in the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 370 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $54,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton grew its position in shares of American Water Works by 29.0% in the 4th quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 400 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. 86.58% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

American Water Works Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:AWK opened at $123.16 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $24.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.39, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.53. American Water Works Company, Inc. has a 1 year low of $113.34 and a 1 year high of $150.68. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $125.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $135.78.

American Water Works Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a $0.765 dividend. This represents a $3.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.48%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. American Water Works’s dividend payout ratio is 60.59%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on American Water Works from $147.00 to $128.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Mizuho lowered American Water Works from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $131.00 to $140.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 15th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded American Water Works from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and dropped their price target for the company from $133.00 to $129.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded American Water Works from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $151.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, American Water Works currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $139.38.

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.