VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs Spirax Group plc

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into American Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Spirax Group plc

SPX · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5.2B
Gross margin (TTM)19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)10.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
71/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Spirax Group plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SPX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Spirax Group plc).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); Spirax Group plc has 3 segments (52.1% in Steam Thermal Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Spirax Group plc has 6 across 2.

Primary market context

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Spirax Group plc

Steam Thermal Solutions

Market

Industrial and commercial steam systems (condensate management, controls, thermal energy management products and solutions)

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial process operators and commercial facility operators

Role

OEM / solutions provider

Revenue share

52.1%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
Spirax Group plc
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
SPX - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$5.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
17.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.7%
Sector
Utilities
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Steam Thermal Solutions
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

Spirax Group plc strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationSuite Bundling

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

Spirax Group plc segments

Full profile >

Steam Thermal Solutions

Oligopoly

52.1%

Electric Thermal Solutions

Competitive

24.3%

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

Oligopoly

23.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.