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Roger S. Conrad
Roger S. Conrad needs no introduction to individual and professional investors, many of whom have profited from his decades of experience uncovering the best dividend-paying stocks for accumulating sustainable wealth.
Roger built his reputation with Utility Forecaster, a publication he founded more than 20 years ago that The Hulbert Financial Digest routinely ranked as one of the best investment newsletters. He’s also a sought-after expert on master limited partnerships (MLP) and former Canadian royalty trusts.
In April 2013, Roger reunited with his long-time friend and colleague, Elliott Gue, becoming co-editor of Energy & Income Advisor, a semimonthly online newsletter that’s dedicated to uncovering the most profitable opportunities in the energy sector.
Although the masthead may have changed, readers can count on Roger to deliver the same high-quality analysis and rational assessment of the best dividend-paying utilities, MLPs and dividend-paying Canadian energy names.
Articles
What to Make of Takeover Tuesday
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 28, 2024
There was an explosion of takeover activity in the Utility Report Card coverage universe today. Here’s a look at four deals announced today and what they mean for us.
Utility Bonds: Still Keeping It Short
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 12, 2024
A number of readers have asked my views on bonds as an alternative to dividend paying stocks. That’s understandable, given what’s been general investor disinterest in dividends over the past year and a half, even when companies have raised them reliably and robustly.
The Rest of Portfolio Q1 Earnings: What You Need to Know
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 11, 2024
Yesterday, I posted the May issue of Conrad’s Utility Investor, highlighting what’s important from Q1 results and guidance updates for 29 Portfolio recommendations. Since then, seven more of top picks have released results.
Renewable-Focused Utilities: Joining Energy’s March Higher
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
There are no energy stocks in the S&P 500’s top 10. The biggest utility, NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), is only #56. And even all utilities and oil and gas stocks together are just 6 percent of the stock market’s premier blue chip index.
That’s historic underweighting. But since oil prices bottomed in spring 2020, the S&P Energy Index has beaten the technology-stock laden S&P 500 by nearly 160 percentage points.
Southern Company: Poised for Post-Vogtle Growth
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
In late April, Georgia Power’s unit 4 of the Vogtle nuclear plant entered full commercial service—joining Unit 3, which has been operating smoothly since last July. And with customer rates to pay for the facility fully in place, the book is now finally closed on a construction project that began in August 2008 and ultimately cost $30 billion, versus initial estimates of $14 billion.
During Southern’s Q1 earnings and guidance call earlier this month, CEO Chris Womack stated unequivocally his view that the US “is going to need more nuclear.” But he also said “we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done at Vogtle for a very long time before we give any consideration” to launching another project.
AT&T Inc: “Showing” In the US Telecom A Winner for Investors
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
When a stock sells for just 7.7 times expected next 12 months earnings, it’s clearly unloved by investors. And that’s clearly the case for America’s number 3 telecom AT&T Inc (NYSE: T), after returning less than 3 percent a year over the past decade.
There are numerous reasons for AT&T’s underperformance. But the biggest was US government rejection of its proposed merger with T-Mobile US (NSDQ: TMUS), which led to a disastrous, debt-expanding foray into the entertainment business. And the company has dealt with the fallout ever since, including a first-ever -46.6 percent dividend cut as part of the Warner Brothers (NSDQ: WBD) spinoff in April 2022.
Strong Q1 Results Portend Solid Returns
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
Roughly 3 in 4 Utility Report Card companies have released their calendar Q1 results and updated guidance. Most of the rest should do so in the next week to 10 days.
This issue’s company-by-company URC comments highlight what investors need to know about the results so far. That includes the 29 portfolio utilities issuing their numbers. And I’ll have my thoughts on the rest in next’s month’s issue, or beforehand for portfolio recommendations if action is needed.
Uniti Group Buckles, UGI Corp Off the List
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
Debt remains the number one threat to essential service dividends. The latest to fall victim: Telecom infrastructure company Uniti Group (NSDQ: UNIT).
This month Uniti announced it will merge with privately held Windstream Holdings, its former parent and still largest customer by far. Management says the union will create the “premier insurgent fiber provider.” But this is really a cost-cutting and debt reduction deal: The companies target $100 million in operating expense cuts and “$20 to $30 million” in capital spending “synergies.”
Best Renewable Energy Stocks to Bet on an Emerging Recovery
By
Roger S. Conrad on
May. 9, 2024
For the first time ever, solar energy accounted for “more than half” of US electricity generation additions in 2023: That’s from a report released this week by Wood MacKenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Total installed capacity was also a record at 32.4 gigawatts. That was up 51 percent from 2022 levels and 37 percent above 2021, the previous record year for solar installation. And utility-scale dominated at 69 percent of the total.
MODEL PORTFOLIOS & RATINGS
Aggressive Income Portfolio
Roger's favorite utilities for investors seeking superior price appreciation by taking calculated risks.
Conservative Income Portfolio
Harness the tried and true wealth-building power of rising dividends.
Top 10 DRIPs
Nothing compounds wealth like reinvesting a rising stream of dividends.
Endangered Dividends List
Warning: Falling Dividends.
Utility Report Card
Roger's current take and vital statistics on more than 200 essential-services stocks.
Conrad's Utility Investor
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