Roger S. Conrad

Five more Portfolio holdings have reported earnings. Here's my take.

Exelon Corp’s (NYSE: EXC) $6.9 billion all-cash takeover offer for Pepco Holdings (NYSE: POM) has gotten a mixed reception from investors, but the deal pushes the acquirer closer to resuming dividend growth.

This year is shaping up as a big one for utility mergers. The market value of companies in our Utility Report Card that have announced deals has already reached $237 billion. And Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B) has yet to pull the trigger. (See Buffett Still Eyeing Utilities.)

Thus far, a handful of giants account for virtually all the volume. That includes Aggressive Income Portfolio holding Exelon Corp’s (NYSE: EXC) all-cash bid for Pepco Holdings (NYSE: POM).

The new company immediately gains major synergies in the Mid-Atlantic region, providing financial support for its nuclear power plants in wholesale markets.

I never speculate on takeover stocks that can’t make it on their own--a bias that held me out of Pepco this year. But in the long run, Exelon shareholders will benefit the most from this deal, thanks to a low purchase price and numerous opportunities to upgrade underperforming regulated assets.

As for finding strong companies with takeover appeal, the key is business performance. 

By and large, our favorite utilities and other essential-service providers have announced solid first-quarter results, while the market’s low expectations provides a blessing in disguise.

Rising dividends are the essential fuel for higher stock prices. And nothing is more critical for payout growth than healthy, expanding businesses.

America’s leading wireless company grew its earnings per share by 23.5 percent from year-ago levels, expanded its wireless margins to 52.1 percent from 50.4 percent, increased its revenue per customer by 6.3 percent and generated $2.95 billion in free cash flow. 

Not one of the hundreds of regulated utility mergers over the past century has failed to create a stronger, healthier company. Despite skepticism in some quarters, Exelon Corp’s (NYSE: EXC) $6.8 billion purchase of Pepco Holdings (NYSE: POM) is also set for success.

Half a dozen European utilities and telecoms cut dividends in March. The happy count from April: Zero. Several companies this month even graduated from the Endangered Dividends List.

Few companies attract as much attention when they report quarterly earnings as Telecom’s Big Two: AT&T Inc (NYSE: T) and arch rival Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ). And the past week has been no exception.

You’d be hard-pressed to beat AT&T for steady growth and reliable income--especially in a market where too many are blindly bobbing for Apples.