Utilities

Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only...

Yuck! What a day for those holding long equity positions. The S&P 500 was down 4.78% and the Nasdaq Composite closed down over 5%.  The debt crisis in Europe is worsening and governments are now looking like the next Lehman.  Where does that leave us? From a technical perspective, here is what...

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) today announced that it has completed a preliminary assessment of proposed federal regulations for coal-fired power plants and determined that the proposed rules would significantly impact customers and the overall U.S. economy as a result of higher costs for electricity...

Dominion (NYSE: D) recently announced that it is proceeding with its next major project in the Marcellus and Utica Shale regions, the construction of a large natural gas processing and fractionation plant along the Ohio River in Natrium, W.Va. The first phase of construction includes facilities...

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (NYSE: PCG) and Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), announced today that they have entered into a 25-year contract for 150 megawatts of renewable power from an expansion of Sempra Generation's Copper Mountain Solar complex...

Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) releases its next round of earnings this Tuesday, August 9, 2011. Here's Benzinga's essential guide to Sempra Energy's second quarter earnings report. Earnings and Revenue: Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of...

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) and Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) have entered into an agreement to provide 91 million tons of low sulfur coal to serve multiple electricity generating plants in Missouri through 2017. Peabody will source multiple products from its Powder River Basin operations in...

Shares of NiSource (NYSE: NI) are lower on the session by 0.53%, trading at $20.50. Overall call volume is now running at 27.39x the daily average, with 65% of all calls traded being purchases on the offer. 5,068 contracts have traded on the session so far. NiSource Inc. is energy holding...

Goldman Sachs is out with its report today on El Paso Electric (NYSE: EE), raising its PT from $36 to $37. In its report, Goldman Sachs writes, "After 2Q2011 reporting, where EE reported EPS of $0.78 versus GS/ consensus of $0.67/$0.63, we update estimates, raise our price target and reiterate our...

General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) reported a strong rise in its second-quarter earnings. GM reported its quarterly earnings at $2.5 billion, or $1.54 per share, up from $1.3 billion, or $0.85 per share, in the year-earlier period. Its revenue surged to $39.4 billion from $33.2 billion. However, analysts...

UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) announced that on July 28 a failure in a heat recovery steam generator at one of two gas-fueled generating units at its 125-megawatt Hunlock electric generation station caused an unscheduled outage at the plant. The company is currently assessing the damage to Hunlock...

Ladenburg Thalmann reiterated its Neutral rating on American Water Works (NYSE: AWK). At the same time, the rating agency left its price target on the company's stock unchanged at $31. On Wednesday, AWK closed the day at $28.29.

Deutsche Bank is out with its report today on Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU), lowering its PT from $35.50 to $35. In its report, Deutsche Bank writes, "Our $35 price target is based upon a 13.4x P/E multiple applied to our 2013E. We believe NU merits a 7% premium to peers given above average...

SCANA Corp (NYSE: SCG) reported downbeat second-quarter earnings. SCANA posted its quarterly profit at $56 million, or $0.44 per share, up from $54 million, or $0.43 per share, in the year-ago period. Its revenue surged 6.5% to $1 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.48 per...

ISI Group has upgraded Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU) from Sell to Hold and maintains its $33.50 price target.