Shares of Edison International
How it got here
The regulated utility business is usually a slow and steady moneymaker for investors, but Edison International has beaten expectations pretty soundly in the last year. The company beat earnings estimates in the final three quarters of 2011, and only missed estimates in the first quarter because regulators haven't made a final decision on rates at Southern California Edison.
On a valuation basis, Edison International trades at 15 times earnings and has a nice 2.9% dividend yield. It isn't the best yield in the industry, but with earnings still growing, it is a nice kicker for investors.
Performance of utilities has been fairly strong as the economy recovers. Southern Co.
Compared to these California utilities, Edison's dividend yield and forward P/E ratio both fall short, but the company grew slightly faster than both competitors recently.
Company |
Return on Assets |
Quarterly Growth Rate |
Dividend Yield |
Forward P/E |
---|---|---|---|---|
Edison International | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 17.25 |
PG&E | 2.5% | 1.2% | 4.2% | 14.2 |
Sempra Energy | 3.4% | (2.1%) | 3.2% | 14.8 |
Source: Yahoo! Finance.
The numbers above aren't going to blow any investors out of the water, but that's what utilities are all about. If you want a strong dividend and a safe bet, these companies might be for you.
What's next?
Edison International does not blow me away on either a valuation or yield standpoint. Given the slow economic recovery, I wouldn't expect demand to increase much, if at all, and given the regulated nature of some of Edison's business, that means earnings will be fairly flat, but consistent.
CAPS member agree, giving the stock a ho-hum three-star rating. Depending on your risk profile, this could be a great stock; the dividend yield just isn't enough to entice me right now.
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