AWK vs SBAC 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.

SBA Communications owns a portfolio of about 46,000 wireless towers throughout North America, South America, and Africa. It leases space on its towers to wireless service providers, who install equipment to support their wireless networks. The company has a very concentrated customer base, with most revenue in each market generated by the top three or four mobile carriers. It owns more than 17,000 towers in the US, which account for about 70% of leasing revenue. Internationally, SBA's largest markets are Brazil and Guatemala, where it owns roughly 12,000 and 5,000 towers, respectively. SBA operates as a real estate investment trust.