By Philip van Doorn, MarketWatch
A list of the entire sector
Here are the 28 stocks that comprise the S&P 500 utilities sector, sorted by dividend yield:
Company | Ticker | City | State | Dividend yield |
PPL Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/207772352/composite PPL | Allentown | Pennsylvania | 5.27% |
Dominion Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206853976/composite D | Richmond | Virginia | 4.52% |
Southern Co. | /zigman2/quotes/208000495/composite SO | Atlanta | Georgia | 4.01% |
Duke Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201480230/composite DUK | Charlotte | North Carolina | 3.93% |
CenterPoint Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206368471/composite CNP | Houston | Texas | 3.85% |
AES Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209256253/composite AES | Arlington | Virginia | 3.36% |
Edison International | /zigman2/quotes/206923834/composite EIX | Rosemead | California | 3.32% |
FirstEnergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201870541/composite FE | Akron | Ohio | 3.17% |
Consolidated Edison Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/207137172/composite ED | New York | New York | 3.15% |
Entergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/208005291/composite ETR | New Orleans | Louisiana | 3.10% |
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/201831904/composite PEG | Newark | New Jersey | 3.05% |
Pinnacle West Capital Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/202967011/composite PNW | Phoenix | Arizona | 3.03% |
Exelon Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/205982254/composite EXC | Chicago | Illinois | 3.02% |
American Electric Power Co. Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/209801263/composite AEP | Columbus | Ohio | 2.87% |
Evergy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200697282/composite EVRG | Kansas City | Missouri | 2.87% |
DTE Energy Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205073403/composite DTE | Detroit | Michigan | 2.84% |
NiSource Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208795963/composite NI | Merrillville | Indiana | 2.69% |
Sempra Energy | /zigman2/quotes/206074517/composite SRE | San Diego | California | 2.65% |
Alliant Energy Corp | /zigman2/quotes/201224484/composite LNT | Madison | Wisconsin | 2.63% |
Eversource Energy | /zigman2/quotes/203789081/composite ES | Springfield | Massachusetts | 2.51% |
Xcel Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200626850/composite XEL | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 2.49% |
WEC Energy Group Inc | /zigman2/quotes/207419035/composite WEC | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 2.48% |
Ameren Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/200090237/composite AEE | St. Louis | Missouri | 2.39% |
CMS Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209852159/composite CMS | Jackson | Michigan | 2.39% |
NextEra Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200558509/composite NEE | Juno Beach | Florida | 2.15% |
Atmos Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/204989507/composite ATO | Dallas | Texas | 1.86% |
American Water Works Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205092314/composite AWK | Camden | New Jersey | 1.61% |
NRG Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208308731/composite NRG | Princeton | New Jersey | 0.31% |
Source: FactSet |
Keeping the list in the same order, here are 12-month sales and earnings-per-share growth figures for the group through the most recently reported fiscal quarter-ends.
Company | Ticker | 12-month revenue change | 12-month sales-per-share change | EPS - past 12 months | EPS year earlier 12-month period | Change in EPS |
PPL Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/207772352/composite PPL | -1% | -5% | $2.43 | $2.00 | 22% |
Dominion Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206853976/composite D | 13% | 1% | $1.46 | $4.75 | -69% |
Southern Co. | /zigman2/quotes/208000495/composite SO | -8% | -11% | $4.23 | $2.32 | 83% |
Duke Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201480230/composite DUK | 3% | 0% | $4.53 | $3.95 | 15% |
CenterPoint Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206368471/composite CNP | 15% | 2% | $1.13 | $3.58 | -68% |
AES Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209256253/composite AES | 0% | -9% | $0.59 | $0.59 | 0% |
Edison International | /zigman2/quotes/206923834/composite EIX | 5% | 5% | -$0.77 | $1.27 | -160% |
FirstEnergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201870541/composite FE | 1% | -23% | $2.07 | -$4.50 | -146% |
Consolidated Edison Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/207137172/composite ED | 2% | 0% | $4.21 | $5.07 | -17% |
Entergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/208005291/composite ETR | -3% | -6% | $5.10 | $1.62 | 215% |
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/201831904/composite PEG | 6% | 7% | $2.88 | $4.29 | -33% |
Pinnacle West Capital Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/202967011/composite PNW | 1% | 0% | $4.47 | $4.16 | 7% |
Exelon Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/205982254/composite EXC | 1% | 1% | $2.34 | $3.94 | -41% |
American Electric Power Co. Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/209801263/composite AEP | -1% | -2% | $3.99 | $3.90 | 2% |
Evergy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200697282/composite EVRG | 81% | 7% | $2.36 | $2.32 | 2% |
DTE Energy Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205073403/composite DTE | 2% | 1% | $6.05 | $6.39 | -5% |
NiSource Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208795963/composite NI | 4% | -5% | $0.30 | $0.77 | -61% |
Sempra Energy | /zigman2/quotes/206074517/composite SRE | 8% | -8% | $6.88 | -$2.54 | -371% |
Alliant Energy Corp | /zigman2/quotes/201224484/composite LNT | 2% | 0% | $2.16 | $2.09 | 3% |
Eversource Energy | /zigman2/quotes/203789081/composite ES | 7% | 7% | $2.71 | $3.18 | -15% |
Xcel Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200626850/composite XEL | 2% | 1% | $2.45 | $2.43 | 1% |
WEC Energy Group Inc | /zigman2/quotes/207419035/composite WEC | 0% | 0% | $3.46 | $4.00 | -14% |
Ameren Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/200090237/composite AEE | -3% | -4% | $3.22 | $2.52 | 28% |
CMS Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209852159/composite CMS | 3% | 2% | $2.06 | $1.94 | 6% |
NextEra Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200558509/composite NEE | 2% | 0% | $6.95 | $17.30 | -60% |
Atmos Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/204989507/composite ATO | -7% | -12% | $4.23 | $5.46 | -23% |
American Water Works Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205092314/composite AWK | 4% | 3% | $3.21 | $2.62 | 23% |
NRG Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208308731/composite NRG | 0% | -6% | $1.81 | -$3.09 | -159% |
Source: FactSet |
We have included sales per share, as well as raw revenue growth figures because the per-share numbers will be lower if any dilution has taken place through the net issuance of new shares to fund acquisitions or for other purposes. The per-share numbers will be higher if the share count has declined because of share repurchases. Evergy /zigman2/quotes/200697282/composite EVRG +1.96% is an example — the company (formerly Monarch Energy) acquired Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy in June 2018.
The high number of utility companies showing extreme variance in earnings per share for the most recent 12-month period shows that this is an industry in flux, with mergers, unit sales and more complicated deals being announced almost continually. So if you are looking to invest in individual utility stocks, you better do your homework.
Here’s a summary of sell-side analysts’ opinions of the group:
Company | Ticker | Share 'buy' ratings | Share neutral ratings | Share 'sell' ratings | Closing price - Oct. 1 | Consensus price target | Implied 12-month upside potential |
PPL Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/207772352/composite PPL | 21% | 72% | 7% | $31.31 | $32.17 | 3% |
Dominion Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206853976/composite D | 33% | 67% | 0% | $81.22 | $81.31 | 0% |
Southern Co. | /zigman2/quotes/208000495/composite SO | 11% | 58% | 32% | $61.88 | $57.96 | -6% |
Duke Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201480230/composite DUK | 22% | 61% | 17% | $96.19 | $95.13 | -1% |
CenterPoint Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/206368471/composite CNP | 65% | 35% | 0% | $29.89 | $32.13 | 8% |
AES Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209256253/composite AES | 40% | 60% | 0% | $16.24 | $18.44 | 14% |
Edison International | /zigman2/quotes/206923834/composite EIX | 53% | 47% | 0% | $73.90 | $79.07 | 7% |
FirstEnergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/201870541/composite FE | 67% | 28% | 5% | $47.89 | $48.22 | 1% |
Consolidated Edison Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/207137172/composite ED | 12% | 47% | 41% | $94.10 | $89.40 | -5% |
Entergy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/208005291/composite ETR | 63% | 31% | 6% | $117.32 | $115.07 | -2% |
Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/201831904/composite PEG | 53% | 41% | 6% | $61.70 | $64.00 | 4% |
Pinnacle West Capital Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/202967011/composite PNW | 20% | 60% | 20% | $97.31 | $97.50 | 0% |
Exelon Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/205982254/composite EXC | 69% | 26% | 5% | $47.98 | $52.97 | 10% |
American Electric Power Co. Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/209801263/composite AEP | 47% | 48% | 5% | $93.22 | $93.78 | 1% |
Evergy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200697282/composite EVRG | 60% | 20% | 20% | $66.28 | $65.89 | -1% |
DTE Energy Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205073403/composite DTE | 37% | 44% | 19% | $133.19 | $134.61 | 1% |
NiSource Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208795963/composite NI | 36% | 57% | 7% | $29.73 | $30.04 | 1% |
Sempra Energy | /zigman2/quotes/206074517/composite SRE | 57% | 36% | 7% | $146.08 | $151.08 | 3% |
Alliant Energy Corp | /zigman2/quotes/201224484/composite LNT | 22% | 67% | 11% | $53.89 | $52.38 | -3% |
Eversource Energy | /zigman2/quotes/203789081/composite ES | 62% | 19% | 19% | $85.36 | $81.67 | -4% |
Xcel Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200626850/composite XEL | 29% | 57% | 14% | $64.95 | $63.00 | -3% |
WEC Energy Group Inc | /zigman2/quotes/207419035/composite WEC | 8% | 54% | 38% | $95.19 | $88.73 | -7% |
Ameren Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/200090237/composite AEE | 33% | 59% | 8% | $79.66 | $80.00 | 0% |
CMS Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/209852159/composite CMS | 33% | 61% | 6% | $64.15 | $62.33 | -3% |
NextEra Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/200558509/composite NEE | 82% | 12% | 6% | $232.03 | $225.80 | -3% |
Atmos Energy Corp. | /zigman2/quotes/204989507/composite ATO | 60% | 20% | 20% | $112.98 | $115.38 | 2% |
American Water Works Co. | /zigman2/quotes/205092314/composite AWK | 46% | 39% | 15% | $123.86 | $121.42 | -2% |
NRG Energy Inc. | /zigman2/quotes/208308731/composite NRG | 82% | 9% | 9% | $39.14 | $46.50 | 19% |
Source: FactSet |
Analysts’ ratings are based on one-year price targets. That’s a short period for long-term investors, especially those focused on slow-growing companies that pay out high (or relatively high) dividends. The lack of enthusiasm for the group is typical and flies in the face of the sector’s strong long-term performance.
Don’t miss: Few stocks pass this rigorous test, but those that do may serve you well through market turmoil
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