---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-25-250643"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "AWK"
cik: "0001410636"
company_name: "American Water Works Company, Inc."
filed_at: "2025-10-27T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-17T02:09:20.975325+00:00"
event_type: "m_and_a"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.9
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# American Water to acquire Essential Utilities in stock-for-stock merger at 0.305x exchange ratio

## Summary
- Essential shareholders to receive 0.305 shares of AWK common stock per share held; deal unanimously approved by both boards.
- John Griffith to remain AWK CEO/President; Essential CEO Christopher Franklin to serve as Executive Vice Chair for two years post-close.
- Termination fee structure: $370M owed by Essential to AWK, $835M owed by AWK to Essential under specified circumstances.
- Post-merger board to have 15 directors: 10 from AWK, 5 from Essential; AWK to retain name and Camden, NJ HQ.
- Closing conditions include shareholder votes, regulatory approvals (HSR, public utility commissions); deadline Oct 26, 2027 if extended.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-25-250643
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: AWK
- cik: 0001410636
- company_name: American Water Works Company, Inc.
- filed_at: 2025-10-27T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: m_and_a
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.9
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.9
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410636/000119312525250643/0001193125-25-250643-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410636/000119312525250643/d866666d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-250643
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-250643.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-250643.txt

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.