ED

Dividend Kings have earned their reputation by raising their payouts for at least 50 consecutive years, an accomplishment that requires navigating recessions, inflationary periods, rising interest rates, and numerous market cycles without breaking their streaks. Still, an exceptional dividend history doesn't automatically make a stock a buy at any given price. Earnings growth, valuation, and the direction of analyst estimates remain important considerations, particularly after quarterly results give Wall Street a fresh look at a business. Four Dividend Kings — Becton, Dickinson and Company BDX), Consolidated Edison ED), Emerson Electric EMR), and Parker-Hannifin PH) — reported earnings last week. Medical technology giant Becton, Dickinson and Company delivered better-than-expected results for its fiscal third quarter, with adjusted earnings of $3.23 per share topping estimates of $3.14 despite dipping from Q3 EPS of $3.68 a year ago following the separation of its Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions operations. Revenue reached roughly $5 billion, down 9% from the prior-year period but topping expectations of $4.89 billion. That said, growth from its continuing businesses was broad-based. Medical Essentials revenue increased 4%, Connected Care rose 5%, BioPharma Systems advanced 6%, and BD Interventional climbed 6% on a reported basis. Cash generation was another bright spot, with year-to-date cash flow from continuing operations increasing by 33% to $2.1 billion and free cash flow increased over 44% to $1.7 billion. Management also tightened its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $12.62-$12.72, compared with its previous $12.52-$12.72 range, effectively raising the midpoint. The updated EPS range calls for 6-7% growth for the continuing business, although FY25 EPS came in at $14.40 last year before the separation of its Biosciences and Diagnostics operations. When accounting for the spin-off, full-year revenue growth is expected at low single digits from a continuing revenue base of $18.54 billion last year. The quarter wasn't flawless as gross and operating margins faced pressure while BD works through a significant portfolio transformation. Verdict: For investors, the appeal centers on a durable medical-technology franchise, improving cash generation and a long record of dividend growth. Yet a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) suggests analysts' earnings revisions aren't currently strong enough to signal a more aggressive entry point, even with BDX shares having the cheapest forward P/E multiple on the list at 14X. Consolidated Edison provided the defensive flavor investors typically expect from a Dividend King while also delivering a sizable earnings beat. Second-quarter adjusted earnings came in at 83 cents per share, comfortably ahead of expectations of $0.74 and up from Q2 EPS of $0.67 a year earlier. Revenue increased 13% to $4.06 billion and easily topped Q2 estimates of $3.74 billion by 8%. The growth was supported by higher electric and gas rate bases, with Con Edison’s operating income surging 55% YoY to $552 million. Electric revenue rose 13% to $3.14 billion, gas revenue advanced 14% to $811 million, and steam revenue increased 11% to $118 million. Those gains helped offset higher purchased-power and fuel costs. Looking ahead, Con Edison reaffirmed its FY26 adjusted EPS guidance of $6.00-$6.20 (+5% growth). The utility provider also has an enormous investment program ahead, with nearly $38 billion in planned capital expenditures from 2026 through 2030. That spending should support rate-base growth over time, but utilities generally lack the explosive earnings potential found in more economically sensitive industrial businesses. Interest rates and valuation can also have an outsized influence on utility stocks because income-oriented investors frequently compare their yields with fixed-income alternatives. Verdict: ED remains attractive for investors prioritizing dividend reliability and defensive exposure, and its latest earnings beat reinforces the stability of Con Edison’s underlying business. However, the current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) suggests the near-term earnings outlook is balanced rather than signaling a particularly compelling buying opportunity, even with ED shares trading at a very reasonable 17X foward earnings multiple. Among these four Dividend Kings, Emerson Electric produced one of the more impressive combinations of growth, margin expansion, and improving guidance. Reporting results for its fiscal third quarter, Emerson’s Q3 adjusted EPS increased over 12% to $1.71 and edged expectations of $1.68, while revenue climbed 7% YoY to $4.87 billion and topped estimates of $4.79 billion. Underlying sales advanced 6%, and underlying orders rose 7%, pointing to healthy demand across the automation specialist's portfolio. Software & Systems was particularly strong, posting an 11% sales increase, while Test & Measurement sales jumped 23%. Emerson also benefited from demand across power, aerospace and defense, liquefied natural gas and other longer-cycle markets. Backlog excluding its Aspen Tech asset manager software business increased 7% to $8.2 billion. Profitability added another positive element. Adjusted segment EBITA margin expanded 140 basis points to 28.5%, while Q3 operating cash flow jumped 34% and free cash flow rose 36%. Those results prompted management to raise its fiscal 2026 outlook. Net sales are now projected to grow approximately 5%, which would equate to around $19 billion, with underlying sales growth of around 3.5%. Full-year adjusted EPS is expected to be around $6.55 (9% growth), and Emerson anticipates generating approximately $3.6 billion in free cash flow. Roughly $2.2 billion is slated to be returned to shareholders through about $1 billion of repurchases and $1.2 billion of dividends. Verdict: Hold with a Bullish lean. While EMR currently lands a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) as well, Emerson's operating trends look stronger, and it wouldn’t be surprising if a buy rating is on the way if analysts start to raise their earnings estimates in accordance with the company’s raised guidance. Rising orders, expanding margins, and increased guidance make EMR worth watching closely at a reasonable 25X forward P/E, particularly if upward earnings estimate revisions strengthen enough to support a higher Zacks Rank. As a global diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, Parker-Hannifin arguably posted the strongest headline numbers of the four. PH’s fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted earnings surged 20% to $9.27 per share, easily topping EPS expectations of $8.29 by nearly 12%. Revenue increased roughly 10% to $5.75 billion, exceeding estimates of $5.6 billion, with organic sales growing 8%. Perhaps even more encouraging for future demand, was that orders soared 19% YoY. Strength came from both major operating businesses. Diversified Industrial sales increased 8%, while Aerospace Systems benefited from robust demand. For the full fiscal year, PH’s adjusted earnings advanced over 18% to $32.31 per share, and annual sales increased more than 8% to $21.5 billion. The company's profitability remains another major strength. Adjusted total segment operating income increased over 14%, and the corresponding margin expanded 110 basis points to 28%. Cash generation was also robust, with FY26 operating cash flow reaching $4.36 billion. It’s also worth noting that PH’s long-term debt fell to $6.77 billion from $7.49 billion a year earlier. For FY27, management expects both net sales and organic sales growth to be between 5.5%-8.5%, an adjusted segment operating margin of 27.5%-27.9%, and adjusted EPS of $34.25-$35.25 (+6% growth). Importantly, that guidance excludes the pending Filtration Group and CIRCOR Commercial and Defense Aerospace acquisitions. Verdict: Hold, with a bullish lean. PH's earnings beat, 19% order growth, and impressive margins make its fundamental story difficult to ignore. The primary question isn't the quality of the business but whether its current P/E valuation of 30X and earnings revisions provide enough upside to justify chasing shares immediately after their run, with PH stock spiking 8% this month. BDX, ED, EMR and PH stock have something very few publicly traded businesses can claim: dividend-growth records stretching across half a century or more. Their latest earnings reports also show that these mature businesses aren't relying solely on their dividend histories to attract investors. Becton Dickinson delivered broad-based revenue growth and stronger cash generation while lifting the midpoint of its earnings outlook. Consolidated Edison topped expectations and has a massive capital-investment program supporting its long-term rate base. Emerson Electric paired higher orders with margin expansion and raised guidance. Parker-Hannifin, meanwhile, produced double-digit earnings growth, a sharp increase in orders and another year of strong cash generation. The catch is that great businesses don't always equal great entry points for stocks. With all four stocks currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), the near-term earnings revision picture doesn't provide a clear enough catalyst to warrant an outright Buy rating and the plausibility of significant short-term upside. That doesn't make these Dividend Kings stocks to sell, either. Their durable businesses, shareholder-friendly capital allocation and decades-long dividend records make them compelling names to keep on investors' watchlists. For now, holding existing positions may be the most appropriate approach, while prospective buyers can watch for more favorable valuations or stronger upward earnings estimate revisions. Among the four, Emerson and Parker-Hannifin appear particularly intriguing following their strong operating results, and either could become more attractive should analyst revisions turn increasingly positive. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Parker-Hannifin Corporation (PH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Consolidated Edison, Inc. ED reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 83 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 74 cents by 12.2%. The bottom line improved 23.9% from 67 cents in the prior-year quarter. Higher electric and gas rate bases at CECONY supported the improvement. Revenues of $4.07 billion increased 13.2% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.75 billion by 8.7%. Con Edison’s total average rate base was $47.34 billion as of June 30, 2026.CECONY generated operating revenues of $3.81 billion, up 13.9% from $3.34 billion in the second quarter of 2025. Net income for common stock jumped 33.3% to $296 million from $222 million.O&R revenues increased 3.5% to $263 million from $254 million, while net income remained unchanged at $8 million. Con Edison Transmission reported net income of $7 million compared with $10 million a year earlier. Consolidated Edison Inc price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Consolidated Edison Inc Quote Electric revenues totaled $3.14 billion, up 13.0% from $2.78 billion in the year-ago period. Gas revenues increased 14.1% to $811 million from $711 million.Steam revenues rose 11.3% year over year to $118 million. The Non-utility segment generated revenues of $1 million, which remained unchanged from the prior-year quarter’s level. Overall, growth across ED’s electric, gas and steam businesses supported the year-over-year increase in consolidated revenues, while non-utility revenues remained stable. Total operating expenses increased 8.5% year over year to $3.52 billion, trailing the pace of revenue growth. Purchased power costs rose 29.0% to $837 million, while fuel expenses more than doubled to $56 million. Taxes other than income taxes increased 9.3% to $977 million.Other operations and maintenance expenses declined 1.1% to $913 million, and gas purchased for resale fell 8.8% to $156 million. Depreciation and amortization expenses were nearly flat at $578 million. Consequently, operating income surged 55.5% to $552 million from $355 million. Cash and temporary cash investments totaled $1.47 billion as of June 30, 2026, compared with $1.63 billion at the end of 2025. Long-term debt increased to $26.84 billion from $25.55 billion over the same period.Cash flow from operating activities was $1.97 billion during the first six months of 2026, down 30.0% year over year. Consolidated Edison has reaffirmed its 2026 guidance. It expects adjusted earnings to be in the range of $6.00-$6.20 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pegged at $6.09 per share, which is lower than the midpoint of the company’s guided range.The company expects capital investments of nearly $38 billion during the 2026-2030 period. Consolidated Edison currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Duke Energy Corporation's DUK second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.43 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.29 by 10.9%. The bottom line increased 14.4% from $1.25 in the year-ago quarter.DUK’s total operating revenues were $7.59 billion, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.72 billion by 1.6%. The top line increased 1% from $7.51 billion in the year-ago period.Ameren Corporation AEE reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.13 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.08 by 4.6%. Earnings increased 11.9% from $1.01 in the year-ago quarter. AEE’s quarterly revenues of $2.09 billion declined 5.8% year over year and missed the consensus estimate of $2.39 billion by 13%. CenterPoint Energy, Inc. CNP reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 40 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 37 cents by 8.1%. The bottom line increased 37.9% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of 29 cents.CNP generated revenues of $2.15 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8%. The top line was 10.7% higher than the year-ago quarter’s reported figure of $1.94 billion. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ameren Corporation (AEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) : Free Stock Analysis Report CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) (NYSE: ED) today reported 2026 second quarter net income for common stock of $308 million or $0.83 a share compared with $246 million or $0.68 a share in the 2025 second quarter. Adjusted earnings (non-GAAP) were $308 million or $0.83 a share in the 2026 period compared with $240 million or $0.67 a share in the 2025 period. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2026 period exclude transaction costs associated with the strategic alternatives review of Con Edison's equity interests in Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (MVP) and Honeoye Storage Corporation (Honeoye). Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2026 and 2025 periods exclude the effects of hypothetical liquidation at book value (HLBV) accounting for tax equity investments. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2025 period exclude accretion of the basis difference of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP, adjustments to the gain and other impacts related to the sale of all of the stock of its former subsidiary, Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc. (the Clean Energy Businesses) in 2023. For the first six months of 2026, net income for common stock was $1,232 million or $3.37 a share compared with $1,038 million or $2.93 a share in the first six months of 2025. Adjusted earnings were $1,098 million or $3.00 a share in the 2026 period compared with $1,032 million or $2.91 a share in the 2025 period. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2026 period exclude transaction costs associated with the strategic alternatives review of Con Edison's equity interests in MVP and Honeoye, the gain on the sale of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP and the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2026 and 2025 periods exclude accretion of the basis difference of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share in the 2025 period exclude adjustments to the gain and other impacts related to the sale of all of the stock of the Clean Energy Businesses in 2023. "Con Edison continues to deliver nation-leading electric service reliability, reflecting the strength of our business model, disciplined infrastructure investments, and the dedication and expertise of our workforce," said Tim Cawley, Chairman and CEO of Con Edison. "We are investing to further strengthen reliability and system resilience, including preparing our network for periods of extreme heat, and redoubling our efforts to keep our service affordable for all customers while continuing to support New York's clean energy transition. Our targeted investments benefit our customers, support economic growth, and provide a foundation for stable, long-term returns for investors." "Our second-quarter results reflect the strength and resilience of our business and reinforce confidence in our long-term strategy," said Kirk Andrews, Senior Vice President and CFO of Con Edison. "Year-to-date results continue to be in line with expectations. Our vibrant market and the growing momentum for the electrification of buildings and transportation support our confidence that we will provide solid shareholder value for years to come. We expect to have 28 new substations in service by 2035, along with tens of billions of dollars in other capital investments we plan to make to meet our customers' need for energy." For the year of 2026, Con Edison reaffirmed its adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) to be in the range of $6.00 to $6.20 per share. Adjusted earnings per share excludes the gain on the sale of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP ($(0.37) a share after-tax), accretion of the basis difference of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP ($(0.01) a share after-tax), transaction costs associated with the strategic alternatives review of Con Edison's equity interests in MVP and Honeoye and the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments, the amounts of which will not be determinable until year-end. Accordingly, the company is unable to provide equivalent measures determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP). See Attachment A to this press release for a reconciliation of Con Edison's reported earnings per share to adjusted earnings per share and reported net income for common stock to adjusted earnings for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and 2025. See Attachments B and C for the estimated effect of major factors resulting in variations in earnings per share and net income for common stock for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 compared to the respective 2025 periods. The company's 2026 Second Quarter Form 10-Q is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A second quarter 2026 earnings release presentation will be available at www.conedison.com. (Select "For Investors" and then select "Press Releases.") This press release contains forward-looking statements that are intended to qualify for the safe-harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations and not facts. Words such as "forecasts," "expects," "estimates," "anticipates," "intends," "believes," "plans," "will," "target," "guidance," "potential," "goal," "consider" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements reflect information available and assumptions at the time the statements are made, and accordingly speak only as of that time. Actual results or developments might differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements because of various factors such as those identified in reports Con Edison has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including that Con Edison's subsidiaries are extensively regulated and may be subject to substantial penalties; its utility subsidiaries' rate plans may not provide a reasonable return; it may be adversely affected by changes to the utility subsidiaries' rate plans; the failure of, or damage to, its subsidiaries' facilities could adversely affect it; a cyber attack could adversely affect it; artificial intelligence is an emerging area of technology that has the potential to impact various aspects of its and its subsidiaries' business operations and customer interactions; the failure of processes and systems, the failure to retain and attract employees and contractors, and their negative performance could adversely affect it; it is exposed to risks from the environmental consequences of its subsidiaries' operations, including increased costs related to climate change; its ability to pay dividends or interest depends on dividends from its subsidiaries; changes to tax laws could adversely affect it; it requires access to capital markets to satisfy funding requirements; a disruption in the wholesale energy markets, increased commodity costs or failure by an energy supplier or customer could adversely affect it; it faces risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks; its strategies may not be effective to address changes in the external business environment; it faces risks related to supply chain disruptions, inflation and the imposition of tariffs (or subsequent changes to tariffs once announced or implemented); and it also faces other risks that are beyond its control. This list of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ from the forward-looking statements. Con Edison assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. This press release also contains financial measures, adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share, that are not determined in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to net income for common stock or net income per share, respectively, each of which is an indicator of financial performance determined in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share exclude from net income for common stock and net income per share, respectively, certain items that Con Edison does not consider indicative of its ongoing financial performance such as the gain on the sale of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP, accretion of the basis difference of Con Edison's equity interest in MVP, transaction costs associated with the strategic alternatives review of Con Edison's equity interests in MVP and Honeoye and the effects of HLBV accounting for tax equity investments. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to facilitate the analysis of Con Edison's financial performance as compared to its internal budgets and previous financial results and to communicate to investors and others Con Edison's expectations regarding its future earnings and dividends on its common stock. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are also useful and meaningful to investors to facilitate their analysis of Con Edison's financial performance. Consolidated Edison, Inc. is a holding company that provides a wide range of energy-related products and services to its customers through the following subsidiaries: Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (CECONY), a regulated utility providing electric service in New York City and New York's Westchester County, gas service in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens and parts of Westchester, and steam service in Manhattan; Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), a regulated utility serving customers in a 1,300-square-mile area in southeastern New York State and northern New Jersey; and Con Edison Transmission, Inc., a regulated company primarily under the oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, that develops and invests in electric transmission projects and owns interests in electric assets. 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Consolidated Edison (ED) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.83 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.74 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.67 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +12.16%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this utility would post earnings of $2.32 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.17, delivering a surprise of -6.47%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Con Ed, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, posted revenues of $4.07 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.66%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $3.6 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Con Ed shares have added about 9.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.8%. While Con Ed has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Con Ed was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.15 on $4.76 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $6.09 on $17.71 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Utility - Electric Power is currently in the bottom 29% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, Algonquin Power & Utilities (AQN), is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 7. This utility operator is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.05 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +25%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Algonquin Power & Utilities' revenues are expected to be $552.5 million, up 4.7% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (AQN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. SWX reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 45 cents per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 47 cents by 4.3%. The bottom line increased 21.6% from the year-ago quarter. Operating revenues totaled $358.2 million, which lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $407 million by 12%. The top line also decreased 9.6% from $396.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Southwest Gas Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Southwest Gas Corporation Quote Total operating expenses declined 17.5% year over year to $273.8 million. This was primarily due to the lower net cost of gas sold and reduced operations and maintenance expenses.Total operating income was $84.3 million, up 30.8% from $64.5 million in the year-ago quarter.Arizona System Integrity Mechanism rates became effective on April 1, supporting the recovery of eligible safety and reliability investments. In Nevada, SWX increased its requested annual revenues to roughly $74 million after incorporating additional plant investments.Total system throughput in the first six months of 2026 was 106.05 million dekatherms, down 9.1% from 116.61 million dekatherms in the year-ago period. Cash and cash equivalents amounted to $270.5 million as of June 30, 2026, compared with $576.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.As of June 30, 2026, long-term debt, less current maturities, amounted to $3.41 billion compared with $3.43 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $308.2 million in the first six months of 2026, compared with $417.6 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures and property additions increased to $529.1 million from $362.5 million, reflecting continued infrastructure investment. Great Basin secured binding precedent agreements for about 1 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day of demand for its 2028 expansion. The project is now expected to require approximately $2.3 billion in capital investment and generate an annual incremental margin of $270-$300 million after it enters service.The company also has expressions of interest for an additional 1.8 Bcf, with requested in-service dates from 2029 through 2035. Southwest Gas plans to file its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certificate application later in 2026 and expects the higher contracted demand not to delay the filing schedule Southwest Gas expects its 2026 earnings per share (EPS) in the range of $4.17-$4.32. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is pegged at $4.27, higher than the mid-point of the company’s guided range.The company expects a rate base compound annual growth rate of 9.5-11.5% in the 2026-2030 period. The capital expenditure is projected at $1.25 billion for 2026, while total capital expenditure for 2026-2030 is expected to reach $6.3 billion. Southwest Gas currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Consolidated Edison ED is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 74 cents per share, which implies a year-over-year increase of 10.45%.ED’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 6.32%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $3.74 billion, which suggests year-over-year growth of 4.17%.MDU Resources Group, Inc. MDU is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is pegged at 8 cents, reflecting an increase of 14.29% from the prior-year figure.MDU’s long-term earnings growth rate is 5.54%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $398 million, which suggests year-over-year growth of 13.32%.PPL Corporation PPL is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 7, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 35 cents per share, which implies year-over-year growth of 9.38%.PPL’s long-term earnings growth rate is 7.52%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $2.18 billion, which suggests year-over-year growth of 7.50%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Southwest Gas Corporation (SWX) : Free Stock Analysis Report PPL Corporation (PPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report MDU Resources Group, Inc. (MDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

ONE Gas, Inc. OGS reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 82 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 65 cents by 26.15%. The bottom line surged 51.9% from 54 cents in the year-ago quarter, aided by higher revenues from new rates and lower net interest expense. ONE Gas recorded revenues of $411.64 million, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $440 million by 6.45%. The top line also decreased 2.9% from $423.74 million in the prior-year quarter. ONE Gas, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | ONE Gas, Inc. Quote Natural gas sales were $357.8 million, down 3.2% from $369.5 million in the second quarter of 2025. Transportation revenues increased 2.6% to $31.8 million, while other revenues rose 11% to $11.1 million. Securitization customer charges declined 17.4% to $10.9 million. The company generated $16.4 million of incremental revenues from new rates, $1.4 million from higher residential sales, primarily reflecting customer growth in Oklahoma and Texas, and $1.3 million from increased line-extension revenues in Oklahoma. Total natural gas volumes delivered were 66.6 billion cubic feet, down 1.48% on a year-over-year basis. OGS served 2,308,000 customers, up 0.26% year over year. Sales volumes fell 15.9% to 15.9 billion cubic feet, while transportation volumes increased 4.1% to 50.7 billion cubic feet.Total operating expenses were $238.7 million, up 2% year over year. The increase was due to higher operations and maintenance expenses, which rose 6.6% to $139.6 million, reflecting higher employee-related costs, outside services and fleet expenses.Operating income totaled $82.7 million, up 15% from $71.9 million recorded in the year-ago quarter.Net interest expense declined 11.8% to $31.1 million, primarily due to lower-rate commercial paper borrowings and the implementation of Texas House Bill 4384. These factors supported the sharp year-over-year improvement in adjusted earnings.Texas Gas Service received approval for a $36.9 million revenue increase under its Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program. The new rates became effective in July 2026, supporting the recovery of investments in system reliability. Cash and cash equivalents amounted to $30.6 million as of June 30, 2026, compared with $33.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.As of June 30, 2026, total long-term debt (excluding current maturities) was $2.34 billion, down from $2.36 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.Cash provided by operating activities totaled $387.3 million during the first six months of 2026, down from $448.8 million in the comparable 2025 period. Capital expenditures totaled $330 million compared with $347.1 million a year ago. OGS expects its 2026 adjusted net income in the range of $306-$314 million.The company projects 2026 adjusted earnings in the range of $4.83 to $4.95 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is pegged at $4.88, which is slightly below the midpoint of the company’s guided range.In 2026, OGS plans to make capital investments, including asset removal costs, of $800 million and nearly $230 million for new customer extensions. Currently, ONE Gas carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Consolidated Edison ED is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 74 cents per share, which implies a year-over-year increase of 10.45%.ED’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 6.32%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $3.74 billion, which suggests year-over-year growth of 4.17%.MDU Resources Group, Inc. MDU is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is pegged at 8 cents, inidicating an increase of 14.29% from the prior-year figure.MDU’s long-term earnings growth rate is 5.54%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $398 million, which suggests year-over-year growth of 13.32%.PPL Corporation PPL is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 7, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 35 cents per share, which implies year-over-year growth of 9.38%.PPL’s long-term earnings growth rate is 7.52%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pinned at $2.18 billion, which suggests year-over-year growth of 7.50%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ONE Gas, Inc. (OGS) : Free Stock Analysis Report PPL Corporation (PPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report MDU Resources Group, Inc. (MDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Otter Tail (OTTR) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.66 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.48 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.85 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +12.16%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this power company and manufacturer would post earnings of $1.34 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.73, delivering a surprise of +29.1%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. Otter Tail, which belongs to the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry, posted revenues of $334.38 million for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.04%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $333.04 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Otter Tail shares have added about 9.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 9.4%. While Otter Tail has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Otter Tail was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $1.43 on $318 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $5.54 on $1.3 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Utility - Electric Power is currently in the bottom 36% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Consolidated Edison (ED), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6. This utility is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +10.5%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 6.8% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. Consolidated Edison's revenues are expected to be $3.74 billion, up 4.2% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Otter Tail Corporation (OTTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Wall Street analysts expect Consolidated Edison (ED) to post quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share in its upcoming report, which indicates a year-over-year increase of 10.5%. Revenues are expected to be $3.74 billion, up 4.2% from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 6.8% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts over the course of this timeframe. Before a company reveals its earnings, it is vital to take into account any changes in earnings projections. These revisions play a pivotal role in predicting the possible reactions of investors toward the stock. Multiple empirical studies have consistently shown a strong association between trends in earnings estimates and the short-term price movements of a stock. While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as a yardstick to evaluate the company's quarterly performance, scrutinizing analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics can offer a more comprehensive perspective. In light of this perspective, let's dive into the average estimates of certain Con Ed metrics that are commonly tracked and forecasted by Wall Street analysts. Analysts' assessment points toward 'Operating revenues- O&R' reaching $262.07 million. The estimate suggests a change of +3.2% year over year. Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Operating revenues- CECONY' should arrive at $3.53 billion. The estimate indicates a change of +5.6% from the prior-year quarter. Analysts expect 'Operating Income- O&R' to come in at $18.90 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $13.00 million in the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast 'Operating Income- CECONY' to reach $432.62 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $347.00 million. View all Key Company Metrics for Con Ed here>>> Shares of Con Ed have demonstrated returns of -3.6% over the past month compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.7% change. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), ED is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> . Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation PNW reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.43 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 by 4.03%. The bottom line declined 9.5% from $1.58 in the year-ago quarter. Revenues for the reported quarter totaled $1.46 billion, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40 billion by 3.93%. The top line increased 7.1% from $1.36 billion recorded in the year-ago quarter. Pinnacle West Capital Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Pinnacle West Capital Corporation Quote Total operating expenses were $1.15 billion, up 9.4% from $1.05 billion in the prior-year quarter. Fuel and purchased power costs climbed 17.1% to $558.5 million, while depreciation and amortization increased 6.3% to $243.2 million.Operating income totaled $305.7 million, down 0.6% from $307.6 million a year ago. Higher fuel and purchased power costs largely offset the benefit of increased revenues and lower operations and maintenance expenses.Total interest expenses were $122.2 million, up 19.8% from $102 million in the prior-year period. As of June 30, 2026, cash and cash equivalents totaled $9.1 million compared with $6.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.As of June 30, 2026, long-term debt, less current maturities, amounted to $9.78 billion compared with $9.21 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $629.3 million in the first six months of 2026 compared with $663.3 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures were $1.36 billion versus $1.33 billion in the comparable 2025 period. The company continues to expect its 2026 consolidated earnings in the range of $4.55-$4.75 per share and projects 5-7% long-term EPS growth from the 2024 earnings base. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $4.74, higher than the midpoint of the company’s guided range.The company projects its 2026 revenues in the range of $5.56-$5.66 billion.Management expects retail customer growth of 1.5-2.5% and weather-normalized retail electricity sales growth of 4-6%. New large manufacturing facilities and several large data centers are expected to contribute 3-5% to sales growth.Arizona Public Service Company (APS) plans to invest $2.60 billion in 2026, followed by $2.65 billion in 2027 and $2.70 billion in 2028. The 2026 spending plan includes $825 million for generation, $550 million for transmission, $765 million for distribution and $460 million for other projects. The capital program is designed to support reliability and continued growth across the utility's service territory. Pinnacle West currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Evergy EVRG is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $1.47 billion, which suggests a year-over-year increase of 2.63%.EVRG’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 9.07%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pinned at $4.25 per share, which implies a year-over-year improvement of 10.97%.Consolidated Edison ED is slated to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 6, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 74 cents per share, which implies a year-over-year increase of 10.45%.ED’s long-term earnings growth rate is 6.32%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pinned at $6.09 per share, which implies a year-over-year improvement of 6.84%.Vistra VST is scheduled to report second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 7, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $1.83 per share, which implies year-over-year growth of 81.19%.VST's dividend yield is 0.92%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is pinned at $9.37 per share, which implies a year-over-year improvement of 78.14%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW) : Free Stock Analysis Report Consolidated Edison Inc (ED) : Free Stock Analysis Report Vistra Corp. (VST) : Free Stock Analysis Report Evergy Inc. (EVRG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research