Utilities

I am currently reading the book Guide to Investing in the Apocalypse by James Altucher and Douglas R. Sease. The book has an entire chapter on the emerging fresh water crisis. The book describes how 40% of the world's population will be without adequate clean water within nine years, according to...

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) announced today that ISS Proxy Advisory Services and Glass, Lewis & Co. have recommended that Duke Energy and Progress Energy shareholders vote for the proposed merger of the two companies.

Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE) announced today the full syndication of the $3.7 billion acquisition financing provided by Credit Suisse to finance the previously announced acquisition of Southern Union Company (NYSE: SUG). Following the closure of the syndication, the group of banks...

Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE: WTR) announced today the purchase of the wastewater system assets of Manakin Water and Sewerage Corporation and Manakin Farms, Inc. in Goochland County, Virginia, for $80,000. The wastewater system serves 278 residential customers. Aqua already provides water to these...

Wunderlich Securities provided color on Spectra Energy Partners (NYSE: SEP) in a research report published today. Wunderlich Securities has previously given Spectra Energy Partners a Hold rating and $35 price target. In the report, Wunderlich Securities states, "Spectra delivered a good quarter,...

National Fuel Gas Company (NYSE: NFG), Chief Executive Officer David F. Smith will make the following statement about the possibility of a joint venture (JV) involving the Marcellus Shale assets of its subsidiary Seneca Resources Corporation: “That brings me to an update on a potential joint...

National Fuel Gas (NYSE: NFG) holding 11am earnings conference call. Conference call can be heard here.

Shares of Dominion Resources (NYSE: D) are higher on the session by 1.03%, trading at $48.26. Overall call volume is now running at 2.15x the daily average, with 3% of all calls traded being purchases on the offer. 1,253 contracts have traded on the session so far. Dominion Resources, Inc. is a...

Scotia Capital is out with its report today on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP), raising its PT to $25.75. In its report, Scotia Capital writes, "We reiterate our 2-Sector Perform rating. We see the distribution as highly sustainable - and would expect an increase in 2012 - and have...

Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTWS) announced that the Company's Board of Directors has approved an annualized dividend increase of two cents per common share, or 2.2%, above the current cash dividend. The quarterly cash dividend on common shares was increased to $0.2375 per quarter from...

Wunderlich is out with its report today on Edison International (NYSE: EIX), maintaining Hold. In its report, Wunderlich writes, "EIX currently trades at 13.2 times our 2012 EPS estimate and 7.3 times 2012E EBITDA. However, excluding the EME losses, the utility and parent trade at about 11.5x...

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: CWCO), which develops and operates seawater desalination plants and water distribution systems in areas of the world where naturally occurring supplies of potable water are scarce or nonexistent, today announced that Mr. John Tonner will join the Company's...

Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating on CenterPoint (NYSE: CNP) from Hold to Buy. At the same time, the rating agency raised its price target on the company's stock from $19.50 to $20. On Thursday, CNP lost 4.5% of its value to end the4 day at $18.45. Its shares rebounded in today's pre-market trading...

Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating on PG&E (NYSE: PCG) from Hold to Buy. At the same time, the rating agency reduced its price target on the company's stock from $45 to $44. On Thursday, PCG added 0.42% to its value to finish the day at $40.65. Its shares continued to climb in today's pre-market...

Deutsche Bank reiterated its Sell rating on TECO Energy (NYSE: TE). At the same time, the rating agency reduced its price target on the company's stock from $17 to $16. On Thursday, TE lost 5.28% of its value to finish the day at $17.39. Its shares continued to slide in today's pre-market trading,...