American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) has significantly underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks, according to a recent report.

The Camden, New Jersey-based water and wastewater utility, with a market capitalization of $24.3 billion, saw its shares drop 12.4% over the past year.

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In contrast, the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) surged 26.6% during the same period.

The downward trend has continued into the current year, with the stock declining 4.3% year-to-date, while the SPX recorded an 8.1% gain.

The company also trailed the State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU), which gained 6.9% over the past 52 weeks and 2.9% year-to-date.

Q1 Earnings Show Mixed Results

Following its Q1 earnings release on April 29, shares of the utility company experienced a marginal decline at market close.

Operating revenue climbed 5.7% year-over-year to reach $1.2 billion for the quarter.

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However, adjusted earnings per share (EPS) settled at $1.01, representing a decline of approximately 1% from the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Despite the recent dip, company management maintained its long-term growth targets for both earnings and dividends at a rate of 7% to 9%.

Analyst Projections and Market Sentiment

Market analysts project the EPS to increase by 8% year-over-year, reaching $6.09 for the current fiscal year ending in December.

The historical earnings tracking shows that the firm missed consensus estimates in three of the past four quarters, while exceeding projections on one occasion.

Among the 13 market analysts evaluating the stock, the consensus outlook remains designated as a "Hold."

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This overall rating is comprised of two "Strong Buy" assessments, ten "Hold" recommendations, and one "Strong Sell" rating.

The analytical consensus and rating distributions have demonstrated stability over the last three months.

Investment firm UBS reiterated its "Neutral" stance on the stock on May 7, though it adjusted the price target downward to $137.

The revised target indicates a potential upside of 9.7% when evaluated against the current market levels.

Furthermore, the mean price target established by Wall Street stands at $140.09, suggesting a 12.2% premium.

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The highest individual price target of $160 points toward a potential 28.2% upside.