15 Utility Stocks That Make Great Long-Term Investments

Back in the day, utilities were popularly included in the "widow and orphan stocks" crowd because of their maturity, stability, and dividend payouts flowing from providing essential services through service areas protected by regulation and monopolies.

And unlike something else from back in the day, you don't have to rely on a broker for recommendations and to conduct the actual transactions themselves. Do your own research, of course, but here's a list of 15 long-standing utility stocks that should continue to be great long-term investments.

5 Stocks Under $49

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With a market cap of more than $130 billion, NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) is the largest publicly traded utility in the country by that metric. The parent company of Florida Power & Light, Gulf Power, and more is based in Juno Beach, Florida, and its stock is yielding about 2.51% after 28 straight years of dividend increases.

ALSO READ: Investing in Top Utilities Stocks

Dallas-based Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) is Texas big, with a portfolio of about 5,700 miles of gas transmission lines, 72,000 miles of underground distribution and transmission mains, and a customer base of nearly three million customers, from individual households to public authorities and industrial users. Atmos has been around since 1906 and has raised its dividends for 38 years, providing a current yield of about 2.45%.

American Water Works (NYSE:AWK) is the country's largest publicly traded water and wastewater services provider, with a history dating back to 1886 and about 3.4 million customers in about 1,700 communities throughout 14 states. After going public for $21.50 a share in 2008, American Water Works now sells for about $145 a share and is yielding around 1.83% after raising its payout by nearly 10% in the past three years.

ALSO READ: Investing in Water Stocks

Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE) is the holding company that includes Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri and serves about 2.4 million electricity customers and 900,000 natural gas customers across much of the Show-Me State and the Land of Lincoln. St. Louis-based Ameren has raised its dividend by nearly 6% over the past three years, and its stock is yielding about 2.56%.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based generator and distributor of electricity and natural gas to about 8.2 million customers in six states across the Southeast and Midwest. Eighteen straight years of dividend increases have this stock yielding right about 3.63%.

5 Stocks Under $49

Presented by Motley Fool Stock Advisor

We hear it over and over from investors, "I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I'd be sitting on a gold mine!" It's true, but we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Click here to learn how you can grab a copy of "5 Growth Stocks Under $49" for FREE for a limited time only.

American States Water (NYSE:AWR) has raised its dividend for 68 straight years, placing it atop the list of Dividend Kings, those Fortune 500 companies that have hiked the payout for at least 50 straight years. That's good for a current yield of about 1.92% from this San Dimas, California, operation founded in 1929 and now provides water to approximately 263,000 customers in 10 counties throughout the Golden State.

ALSO READ: 3 Dividend Kings to Hold Until You're Blue in the Face

With a history dating to 1823, Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED) provides electricity to about 3.8 million customers in and around New York City, gas to another 1.2 million customers, and even steam to approximately 1,555 customers in parts of Manhattan. Con Edison has a sterling record of 48 straight years of dividend increases, good for a current yield of about 3.41%.

The Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is helping shareholders power their portfolios with 22 consecutive years of dividend increases and a current yield of about 3.25%. Based in Atlanta, The Southern Company provides electricity and natural gas to about 8.7 million customers in Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Illinois.

ALSO READ: Investing in Electric Utility Stocks

FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE) provides electricity generated by its coal-fired, nuclear, hydroelectric, natural gas, wind, and solar power facilities to about six million customers in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. Based in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy is paying shareholders a current dividend yield of about 3.49%.

Detroit-based DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) supplies electricity to about 2.3 million residential, industrial, and commercial customers in Southeastern Michigan and natural gas to about 1.3 million customers across the Great Lakes State. DTE Energy is also supplying its shareholders with a yield of about 2.76% after raising its dividend by nearly 10% over the past three years.

5 Stocks Under $49

Presented by Motley Fool Stock Advisor

We hear it over and over from investors, "I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I'd be sitting on a gold mine!" It's true, but we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Click here to learn how you can grab a copy of "5 Growth Stocks Under $49" for FREE for a limited time only.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) provides water, wastewater, and natural gas service to about five million people in 10 states under its Aqua and People brands, each of which has histories going back more than 130 years. This Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, company has rewarded shareholders with 31 straight years of dividend hikes, good for a current yield of about 2.53%.

ALSO READ: 3 Monster Dividend Stocks That Can Outlast a Prolonged Bear Market

OGE Energy (NYSE:OGE) is the parent company of Oklahoma Gas & Electric and has been around since 1902, with a current service area of about 30,000 square miles and 879,000 customers in the Sooner State and Western Arkansas. OGE stock is now yielding about 4.24% after 17 straight years of dividend increases.

Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) owns a diverse mix of hydroelectric, wind, solar, pumped storage, cogeneration, and biomass electricity production operations focusing on North America, Brazil, Colombia, Europe, India, and China. This Bermuda-based firm raised its dividend this year by about 5.3%, and its stock is currently yielding about 3.75%.

ALSO READ: Investing in Renewable Energy Stocks

NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) and its subsidiaries provide electricity and natural gas to about six million residential, industrial, commercial, and wholesale customers across the United States and Canada. The company is based in both Princeton, New Jersey, and Houston, and its stock is yielding about 3.42% after three straight years of dividend increases.

This isn't a utility, per se, but it is a utility stock. At a market cap of about $1.38 billion, the Fidelity MSCI Utilities Index ETF (NYSEARCA:FUTY) is the largest of about a dozen utilities equities exchange-traded funds (ETFs) available in the public markets.

The fund seeks to track the MSCI USA IMI Utilities 25/50 Index, which itself tracks the performance of the utility sector in the U.S. equity market, and is currently yielding about 2.75%.

5 Stocks Under $49

Presented by Motley Fool Stock Advisor

We hear it over and over from investors, "I wish I had bought Amazon or Netflix when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I'd be sitting on a gold mine!" It's true, but we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can buy them now for less than $49 a share! Click here to learn how you can grab a copy of "5 Growth Stocks Under $49" for FREE for a limited time only.

Except for those few stalwarts way out there living off the grid, most everyone is a utility customer. Not only do they have captive markets, but they can also raise their rates regularly, as long as the regulators go along. You might as well join in the profit party by buying a piece of some of these companies. We hope this list helps get your research off to a good start.

Marc Rapport has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends NextEra Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Duke Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.