Don't Be Afraid Of Utility Stocks

Do not be afraid to tiptoe into the utility sector. While the "conventional" wisdom may be to shy away from utilities during times of rising interest rates, and we are definitely in the up-cycle for future rate movements, there are opportunities for investors to become a bit more defensive in the sector.

The top five Dividend Champions in the utility sector, by ROIC, are: American States Water (AWR), MGE Energy (MGEE), National Fuel Gas (NFG), Questar Corp. (STR) and Piedmont Natural Gas (PNY). Listed below are these companies, the current yield, payout ratios, trailing twelve-month ROIC and various dividend growth rates based on recent history.

Source: Seeking Alpha

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