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HTO vs YORW
Which Stock Would AI Choose? H2O America (HTO) vs. The York Water Company (YORW) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- HTO is a larger, multi-state regulated water utility, while YORW is a single-state micro-cap operator concentrated in south-central Pennsylvania.
- Both companies operate recession-resilient, rate-regulated businesses with low beta, but they differ sharply in scale, geography, and capital-raising strategy.
- HTO recently completed a large equity offering to fund growth, whereas YORW is pursuing rate relief tied to infrastructure investment.
- YORW carries a higher dividend yield of roughly 3% and posted accelerating earnings growth in recent quarters.
- HTO offers broader geographic diversification and scale; YORW offers a concentrated, historically stable footprint.
Introduction
Investors comparing HTO and YORW are weighing two very different ways to gain exposure to the regulated water-utility sector. The first, H2O America, is a national network of water and wastewater utilities spanning multiple states. The second, The York Water Company, is one of America's oldest continuously operating investor-owned utilities, serving a defined region of Pennsylvania. For income-oriented and defensive investors, this stock comparison highlights how scale, diversification, and dividend policy shape relative performance and market positioning in a traditionally stable sector.
HTO Overview and Recent Performance
H2O America, formerly known as SJW Group and rebranded under the HTO ticker in 2025, is a national investor-owned network of local water and wastewater utilities. The company serves customers across California, Connecticut, Maine, and Texas through subsidiaries including San Jose Water Company and related operations. This multi-state footprint distinguishes it from smaller regional peers and provides meaningful geographic diversification within the regulated utility model.
In recent months, the company has been active on the capital-raising front. HTO announced and priced an underwritten public offering of roughly 11.5 million common shares at $53.00 per share, part of a larger financing effort to support its infrastructure and growth initiatives. Around the same period, TD Cowen initiated coverage of the stock with a Hold rating, reflecting a neutral-to-cautious view of valuation after the share count increased. Institutional activity, including disclosed purchases by a notable holder, suggests ongoing interest in the company's scale and long-term regulated earnings profile.
YORW Overview and Recent Performance
The York Water Company, trading as YORW, impounds, purifies, and distributes drinking water, and operates wastewater collection and treatment systems across 58 municipalities in four south-central Pennsylvania counties. Incorporated in 1816, it is widely recognized as one of the oldest investor-owned utilities in the United States. Its concentrated regional model produces a smaller, roughly $500 million market capitalization and a low beta of approximately 0.57, indicating below-average market sensitivity.
Recent performance has been underpinned by solid operating momentum. In its most recent quarterly report, YORW posted a meaningful year-over-year increase in operating revenue and net income, with earnings per share (EPS, the company's profit divided by shares outstanding) rising alongside higher revenue. The company has also filed a rate request tied to a significant multi-year capital investment program, a common catalyst for regulated utilities seeking to recover infrastructure spending. A forward dividend yield near 3% and a history of consistent payouts reinforce its appeal to income-focused investors.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast between these two names is scale and scope. HTO operates a diversified, multi-state network with a substantially larger market presence, which spreads regulatory and weather-related risk across several jurisdictions. YORW, by comparison, is a concentrated single-state operator whose results are more closely tied to conditions and rate decisions in Pennsylvania.
Capital strategy also diverges. HTO recently raised equity, a move that funds expansion but dilutes existing shareholders and can pressure near-term sentiment. YORW is instead pursuing rate relief on its investment base, an approach that aims to lift revenue without immediately enlarging the share count. On income, YORW's dividend yield is higher, while HTO relies more on scale and growth-oriented capital deployment. Both carry relatively low beta and defensive cash flows, but their risk profiles differ: geographic concentration for YORW versus financing and integration considerations for HTO.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors, Tickeron's AI would likely favor YORW in the current environment, though the distinction is narrow. The company's improving earnings trajectory, higher dividend yield, low volatility, and pending rate-relief catalyst present a steadier near-term technical and fundamental profile. By contrast, HTO's recent equity issuance introduces share dilution and a neutral analyst stance that may temper momentum in the short run. That said, HTO's broader diversification supports long-term stability. The AI's preference leans toward the name with more consistent trend signals and fewer immediate headwinds, while recognizing that both stocks occupy a defensive sector with limited downside relative to the broader market.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is HTO is a StrongBuy and YORW is a Hold.
HTO's RSI Indicator ascending out of oversold territory
The RSI Oscillator for HTO moved out of oversold territory on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 31 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 19 of the 31 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 61%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 28 of 58 cases where HTO's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 48%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 22, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on HTO as a result. In 49 of 90 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 54%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for HTO just turned positive on October 22, 2026. Looking at past instances where HTO's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 29 of 60 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 48%.
Following a +1.00% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where HTO advanced for three days, in 162 of 296 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 55%.
HTO may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Bearish Trend Analysis
HTO moved below its 50-day moving average on September 18, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for HTO crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 22, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 7 of 12 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 58%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where HTO declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 58%.
The Aroon Indicator for HTO entered a downward trend on October 22, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 17 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 60 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. HTO’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 70 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.332) is normal, around the industry mean (1.813). P/E Ratio (20.439) is within average values for comparable stocks, (23.646). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.505) is also within normal values, averaging (3.694). Dividend Yield (0.030) settles around the average of (0.031) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.927) is also within normal values, averaging (4.350).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 75 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 80 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. HTO’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 85, placing this stock worse than average.
YORW in downward trend: price may drop because broke its higher Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026
YORW broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 22, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 39 similar instances where the stock broke above the upper band. In 30 of the 39 cases the stock fell afterwards. This puts the odds of success at 77%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 39 of 62 cases where YORW's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 63%.
YORW moved below its 50-day moving average on September 21, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for YORW crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on September 24, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 8 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 53%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where YORW declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 52%.
The Aroon Indicator for YORW entered a downward trend on October 12, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where YORW's RSI Indicator exited the oversold zone, 23 of 30 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 22, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on YORW as a result. In 52 of 93 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 56%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for YORW just turned positive on October 08, 2026. Looking at past instances where YORW's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 24 of 55 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 44%.
Following a +1.36% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where YORW advanced for three days, in 126 of 280 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 45%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 57 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. YORW’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 61 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 75 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 97 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.748) is normal, around the industry mean (1.813). P/E Ratio (19.683) is within average values for comparable stocks, (23.646). YORW's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (11.960) is very high in comparison to the industry average of (3.694). Dividend Yield (0.029) settles around the average of (0.031) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.851) is also within normal values, averaging (4.350).
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. YORW’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 85, placing this stock worse than average.
HTO | YORW | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 7 | 43 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 70 Overvalued | 97 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 80 | 75 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 60 | 57 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 17 | 61 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 75 | n/a |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
HTO's Valuation (70) in the Water Utilities industry is in the same range as YORW (97). This means that HTO’s stock grew similarly to YORW’s over the last 12 months.
HTO's Profit vs Risk Rating (100) in the Water Utilities industry is in the same range as YORW (100). This means that HTO’s stock grew similarly to YORW’s over the last 12 months.
YORW's SMR Rating (75) in the Water Utilities industry is in the same range as HTO (80). This means that YORW’s stock grew similarly to HTO’s over the last 12 months.
YORW's Price Growth Rating (57) in the Water Utilities industry is in the same range as HTO (60). This means that YORW’s stock grew similarly to HTO’s over the last 12 months.
HTO's P/E Growth Rating (17) in the Water Utilities industry is somewhat better than the same rating for YORW (61). This means that HTO’s stock grew somewhat faster than YORW’s over the last 12 months.
| HTO | YORW | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 63% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 54% | 1 day ago 56% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 48% | 1 day ago 44% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 57% | 1 day ago 47% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 50% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 11 days ago 55% | 11 days ago 45% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 58% | 8 days ago 52% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 55% | 1 day ago 77% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 69% | 1 day ago 44% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
HTO’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while YORW’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- HTO’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- YORW’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
HTO’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while YORW’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- HTO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- YORW’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 7 bearish.
Price Growth
HTO (@Water Utilities) experienced а -1.95% price change this week, while YORW (@Water Utilities) price change was -1.64% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Water Utilities industry was +2.04%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.50%, and the average quarterly price growth was +2.45%.
Reported Earning Dates
HTO is expected to report earnings on Oct 26, 2026.
YORW is expected to report earnings on Nov 05, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Water Utilities (+2.04% weekly)Water utilities operate water treatment plants, and/or distribute water to residential and commercial customers. Companies operating in this industry are largely responsible for the safe and timely distribution of water. While most water systems are local or regional, some of the companies might have operations across several states. The industry is expected to be closely monitored by regulators for quality checks on the water being distributed. Investing in upgrading infrastructure is a major factor in bolstering the supply of clean/safe-to-use water. Given the absolute necessity of water in our lives, the industry is largely non-cyclical. American Water Works Company, Inc., Aqua America, Inc., American States Water Co. and California Water Service Group are some of the major water utilities companies in the U.S.
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HTO and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HTO has been loosely correlated with YORW. These tickers have moved in lockstep 65% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if HTO jumps, then YORW could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To HTO | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTO | 100% | +4.41% | ||
| YORW - HTO | 65% Loosely correlated | +3.70% | ||
| MSEX - HTO | 64% Loosely correlated | +4.05% | ||
| WTRG - HTO | 60% Loosely correlated | +6.28% | ||
| ARTNA - HTO | 54% Loosely correlated | +3.19% | ||
| CWCO - HTO | 33% Loosely correlated | +3.31% | ||
More | ||||
YORW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, YORW has been closely correlated with AWR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 78% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if YORW jumps, then AWR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To YORW | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YORW | 100% | +3.70% | ||
| AWR - YORW | 78% Closely correlated | +3.54% | ||
| ARTNA - YORW | 71% Closely correlated | +3.19% | ||
| MSEX - YORW | 69% Closely correlated | +4.05% | ||
| CWT - YORW | 68% Closely correlated | +3.55% | ||
| HTO - YORW | 66% Closely correlated | +4.41% | ||
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