WallStSmart

American Water Works (AWK)vsTesla Inc (TSLA)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Tesla Inc generates 1780% more annual revenue ($97.88B vs $5.21B). AWK leads profitability with a 21.2% profit margin vs 4.0%. AWK appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 2.30. AWK earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 60/100 (C).

AWK

Buy

60

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 5.3Profit: 7.5Value: 4.7Quality: 3.3
Piotroski: 2/9Altman Z: 0.64

TSLA

Avoid

33

out of 100

Grade: F

Growth: 6.7Profit: 4.0Value: 2.0Quality: 7.5
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.45
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

AWKOvervalued (-10.7%)

Margin of Safety

-10.7%

Fair Value

$111.75

Current Price

$125.68

$13.93 premium

UndervaluedFair: $111.75Overvalued
TSLASignificantly Overvalued (-52.7%)

Margin of Safety

-52.7%

Fair Value

$261.17

Current Price

$398.73

$137.56 premium

UndervaluedFair: $261.17Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

AWK3 strengths · Avg: 9.0/10
Operating MarginProfitability
33.2%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 33.2%

Profit MarginProfitability
21.2%9/10

Keeps 21 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Price/BookValuation
2.3x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

TSLA4 strengths · Avg: 8.8/10
Market CapQuality
$1.47T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Debt/EquityHealth
0.109/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Revenue GrowthGrowth
15.8%8/10

15.8% revenue growth

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.44B8/10

Generating 1.4B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

AWK4 concerns · Avg: 2.8/10
PEG RatioValuation
2.304/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
2/93/10

Weak financial health signals

EPS GrowthGrowth
-4.8%2/10

Earnings declined 4.8%

Free Cash FlowQuality
$-354.00M2/10

Negative free cash flow — burning cash

TSLA4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
Price/BookValuation
18.2x4/10

Trading at 18.2x book value

Return on EquityProfitability
4.9%3/10

ROE of 4.9% — below average capital efficiency

Profit MarginProfitability
4.0%3/10

4.0% margin — thin

Operating MarginProfitability
4.2%3/10

Operating margin of 4.2%

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : AWK

The strongest argument for AWK centers on Operating Margin, Profit Margin, Price/Book. Profitability is solid with margins at 21.2% and operating margin at 33.2%.

Bull Case : TSLA

The strongest argument for TSLA centers on Market Cap, Debt/Equity, Revenue Growth. Revenue growth of 15.8% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : AWK

The primary concerns for AWK are PEG Ratio, Piotroski F-Score, EPS Growth.

Bear Case : TSLA

The primary concerns for TSLA are Price/Book, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. A P/E of 358.6x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 4.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

AWK profiles as a mature stock while TSLA is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

TSLA carries more volatility with a beta of 1.92 — expect wider price swings.

TSLA is growing revenue faster at 15.8% — sustainability is the question.

TSLA generates stronger free cash flow (1.4B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

AWK scores higher overall (60/100 vs 33/100), backed by strong 21.2% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Avoid" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

American Water Works

UTILITIES · UTILITIES - REGULATED WATER · USA

American Water is an American public utility company operating in the United States and Canada.

Tesla Inc

CONSUMER CYCLICAL · AUTO MANUFACTURERS · USA

Tesla, Inc. is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company based in Palo Alto, California. Tesla's current products include electric cars, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services. In 2020, Tesla had the highest sales in the plug-in and battery electric passenger car segments, capturing 16% of the plug-in market (which includes plug-in hybrids) and 23% of the battery-electric (purely electric) market. Through its subsidiary Tesla Energy, the company develops and is a major installer of solar photovoltaic energy generation systems in the United States. Tesla Energy is also one of the largest global suppliers of battery energy storage systems, with 3 GWh of battery storage supplied in 2020.

Visit Website →

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?