Many analysts exclusively use big data to discover major economic and stock market trends. My problem with that is if you’re always 30,000 feet up, you’ll miss a lot of what’s happening on the ground.
Utilities and essential services companies touch literally every corner of the economy. Consequently, talking a walk through their results every quarter is a great way to discern big picture trends from the ground up.
So far this year, utility stocks have broadly lagged. The exceptions have been companies that have come to be identified with growing adoption of renewable energy.
The leading US producer of wind and solar energy NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE), for example, has returned roughly 20 percent year-to-date. That compares to -2.5 percent for the Dow Jones Utility Average and 4.8 percent for the S&P 500.
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Smart investing. Taking advantage of real opportunities and not fads (and knowing the difference). Finding the companies and stocks that will deliver for the long haul, so investing lets you live instead of investing turning into your life. Roger Conrad has dedicated his career to these principles—and that’s what Conrad's Utility Investor delivers.
Roger's favorite utilities for investors seeking superior price appreciation by taking calculated risks.
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Warning: Falling Dividends.
Roger's current take and vital statistics on more than 200 essential-services stocks.