Based on the aggregated intelligence of 120,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, New York utility provider Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED) has earned a coveted five-star ranking. Our data has shown that five-star stocks outperform the market by a significant margin; conversely, one-star stocks have woefully lagged the market average.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Consolidated Edison's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Con Ed facts

Headquarters (Founded)

New York, N.Y. (1884)

Market Cap

$10.44 Billion

Industry

Diversified Utilities

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$13.81 Billion

Management

CEO Kevin Burke (Since 2005)
CFO Robert Hoglund (Since 2005)

Return on Equity (Average, Past Three Years)

10%

Dividend Yield

6%

Competitors

American Electric Power (NYSE:AEP)
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK)

CAPS Members Bullish on ED Also Bullish on:

General Electric (NYSE:GE)
Altria (NYSE:MO)

CAPS Members Bearish on ED Also Bearish on:

Citigroup (NYSE:C)
General Motors (NYSE:GM)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 402 of the 420 members who have rated Con Ed -- some 96% -- believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include risenodoz and investingyoung.

Late last month, risenodoz tapped Con Ed as an appealing political play:

Safe play, with dividend. Tri-State area is in no rush to de-regulate utilities. With liberals (most-likely) in control of the country for the next 4-8 years, they should be a safe bet to continue to hold on to their monopoly.

Agreeing with that take, a pitch from investingyoung one week earlier highlights the stock's often overlooked growth characteristics: 

"I got a letter in the mail offering those in my state the option of purchasing green renewable wind power from Con Ed Solutions. Now, I knew it was a high dividend yield stock to begin with but with this subsidiary company's innovation, I believe it is a company that has growth to come."

What do you think about Con Ed, or any other stock for that matter? Make your voice heard on Motley Fool CAPS today. More than 120,000 investors are waiting to hear what you have to say. CAPS is 100% free, so get started.