AWK vs FCNCA Comparison

American Water Works is the largest investor-owned US water and wastewater utility, serving nearly 4 million customers in 14 states. It provides water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers and operates predominantly in regulated markets. The company's nonregulated business is water services for military bases, which operates under long-term contracts with regulated-like returns. The proposed Essential Utilities acquisition would add regulated water and wastewater utilities in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas while increasing its presence in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.

First Citizens is a US regional bank with total assets of over $230 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, First Citizens' largest markets are North Carolina, South Carolina, and California. The bank has a track record of making troubled bank acquisitions from the FDIC, like the 2023 acquisition of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, which doubled its asset base. First Citizens offers products and services across retail, commercial, wealth management, and railcar leasing. First Citizens derived over 95% of its earnings from banking and less than 5% from railcar leasing in 2024.