Utility Stocks

[James5v]

I have not seen anyone post anything recently on Utility stocks. I heard on MSNBC this would be a good dividend play such as ED? I don't know how oil prices would effect this, oil being 95.79 as I write this.

[haha]

Originally Posted by James5v

I have not seen anyone post anything recently on Utility stocks. I heard on MSNBC this would be a good dividend play such as ED? I don't know how oil prices would effect this, oil being 95.79 as I write this.

Utility stocks are like most areas a tricky field. Also, to me at least most electricity generating utilities don't seem especially cheap right now. There was a time when the average retired small business person or doctor or dentist or lawyer or farmer would own a good slug of utilities, especially her local gas and electric company. They never went out of business, rarely if ever cut a dividend, in fact usually increased them steadily.

Under today’s conditions I would look more at regional banks (KRE) for reasonable and growing income. But you seem like someone who perhaps should stick with a very straightforward index allocation plus some bond funds or a bond ladder.

Ha

[James5v]

Thanks for the information.

[boutros]

Utilities have done exceptionally well the last couple of years. The big problem that you have to evaluate with utilities is the same as it has always been, government regulation. From what I understand (not my area of coverage) a few years back many utilities struck a deal with regulating bodies to hold rates low for X # of years and then they could float their rate based on the market and other utilities could also compete. This deal should have worked out famously for low cost producers. But places where low cost producers are based are reneging when faced with large increases to market based prices.

[unclemick]

Bought a small boatload of Con Ed back when my Mergent's Handbook of Dividend Achiever's had them paying a 'good' div AND showing relatively high ten div growth for a ute.

They proceeded to underperform for the next ten years. Will probably buy a small amount more and give them another chance(7 more years) since their stats look so sh##ty! Mainly cause with div.'s reinvested my yield is over 10% - AND I would have to admit to a bad investment.



My Aqua America(WTR) and Excelon(EXC) did great cap gain wise - but the yield sucks - the Norwegian widow won't touch em at this price. I probably won't sell either.

Decisions decisions.

heh heh heh - I'm trying to get up some lust to add to my BAC, Bank of America.

[Danny]

thinking of dumping some more in to XEL and other utes...since I've lately started to wonder about just how safe my money market funds and cds are...as long as the lights and heat stay on I don't think the money will melt down....