News and Analysis

Four more Portfolio holdings report, plus we take a look at the Kinder Morgan Mega-Deal and SCANA Corp's negotiations with South Carolina regulators.

Three US electric utilities are now investing in LNG exports through new acquisitions. However one of these is uniquely positioned to bring new LNG export capacity on line and open North American gas to the world.

Five more Conrad’s Utility Investor portfolio stocks have hit new 52-week highs since the last Utility Roundup and 17 of the 30 companies in my Aggressive Income and Conservative Income Portfolios have hit 52-week highs this month.

It’s hard to believe that the conventional wisdom at the start of the year was that utilities were in a death spiral—and that rising interest rates and lost sales to solar would ensure they were among 2014’s worst performers. But a dozen Conrad’s Utility Investor Portfolio stocks have hit new 52-week highs this month. And most of the other holdings are no more than a couple of good trading days from following suit.

A growing, capital-intensive business must regularly be fed with sales of debt and equity. Investors almost invariably fear such offerings as either dilutive or incurring more debt. But the lowest corporate borrowing rates in a generation have enabled companies to cut interest expenses with new debt offerings, eliminating their near-term exposure to rising rates. This week, we look at six Conrad's Utility Investor Portfolio holdings that have had recent offerings.

Our Conrad's Utility Investor recommendations are beating the market to date, with our Aggressive Income Portfolio recommendations up an average of 21.6 percent, Conservative Income Portfolio holdings ahead 11.9 percent and Top 10 DRIPs Portfolio up 13.9 percent.

Energen Corp (NYSE: EGN) will sell its Alabama gas distribution utility to Laclede Gas (NYSE: LG), for $1.28 billion in cash plus $320 million in assumed debt. The company will deploy the estimated $1.1 billion in after tax proceeds to further develop its high potential properties in the Permian Basin.

Every portfolio has winners and losers. The key is knowing when to let the best performers run, and cut the worst loose.