Investing Topics: Utility Stocks

On July 14-15, the US Energy Information Administration held its annual conference in Washington, D.C. Speakers ranged from government analysts and statisticians, politicians and regulators to high-level industry consultants and luminaries like author Daniel Yergin. My colleague Elliott Gue and I attended to uncover investment opportunities obscured by faulty conventional wisdom. Here's our take.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed rules on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions create dange and opportunities for investors in utility stocks.

Our Portfolios are a mixed bag in terms of their underlying businesses and growth drivers. But our holdings are on track for solid earnings and dividend growth over the long haul. These names don’t respond uniformly to changing business conditions or short-term market moves so diversification is key to reduce volatility.

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.

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.

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.

Uncle Sam is kicking the can down the road again on the Keystone XL Pipeline. In a non-decision that should have surprised no one, the US State Department delayed a final ruling on the $5.4 billion project.

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.

Soft economic growth and dysfunctional regulation have brought payout cuts for five European power, telecom and water providers. And all but one signal further reductions in the next 12 to 18 months.