Roger S. Conrad

5-G communications networks promise to unlock a whole host of previously unimaginable applications as they’re rolled out over the next several years, and telecoms around the world are claiming a “lead” over rivals in the race to deploy them.

Utility stocks have picked up in 2020 where they left off in 2019. The Dow Jones Utility Average reached an all-time high of 934 this week. So long as investors crave yield, there’s a case the sector will reach higher ground - but this story also has a less savory side.

Recently released Q4 results indicate there's a sector-wide stress test in progress, and it’s not likely to let up at least until the second half of 2020.

I’ve personally owned Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) since it was Philadelphia Suburban. And thanks to the wealth-compounding power of dividend reinvestment, my Aqua shares are worth almost 14 times what I initially put in.

About year ago, we pounded the table to buy selected high yield bonds. Since then, each of our recommendations has scored solid capital gains, while providing yields as high as 10 percent.

It was a great year for utility stocks with the Dow Jones Utility Average returning 27.3 percent. It was also the best yet for our loaded laggards strategy: Conservative Holdings returned 35.1 percent, Aggressive Holdings 31.2 percent and the Top 10 DRIPs 36.5 percent.

One key catalyst for our outperformance was a spike in investor interest for anything to do with renewable energy. We also mostly eschewed stocks with historically valuations and successfully avoided companies with weakening underlying businesses.

In investing, it’s common for good years to follow good years, and great years often follow average or poor ones. But historically great years like what we’ve just enjoyed at Conrad’s Utility Investor rarely if ever come back to back.

16 Utility Report Card companies reduced their dividends in calendar year 2019. That compares to 128 raising payouts, 23 that held them level and 27 that currently pay no dividend.

In February 2018, I recommended Edison International (NYSE: EIX) as a new Aggressive Holding. Shares had taken just a big hit on concern the company would be held liable for billions in 2017 wildfire damages under the state’s “inverse condemnation” law.