Dividends Galore, Credit Suisse Lifts Electric Utilities, Sort Of

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By Jon C. Ogg Published
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Credit Suisse has changed its targets and estimates for the electric utility sector. The move will have dividend watchers on the lookout, but the firm effectively is asking if a momentum trade could overpower the valuation concerns in the sector.

The firm’s Dan Eggers said that the integrated power sector looks set up for a positive change in numbers on first-quarter earnings calls. This represents a reversal in falling power prices, and likely estimates that have worked against the stocks for the past six quarters or so.

Eggers did note:

We still think implied valuations for Generation assets are rich, but can see how a change in trend could capture broader market interest and provide for an upward trade into and around earnings results as the Street raises mark-to-market based estimates.

Exelon Corp. (NYSE: EXC) is said by the firm to offer the greatest leverage to estimate revisions, and it also should benefit from quarterly improvements in ExGen open profit disclosures. The firm only has a neutral rating and a $33 target. Entergy Corp. (NYSE: ETR) was maintained Neutral. Elsewhere …

American Electric Power Co. (NYSE: AEP) is maintained as Outperform, and the target was raised to $52 from $50, along with higher estimates.

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) was maintained as Outperform but the target price was cut to $45 from $46, and earnings estimates were trimmed by about 1%.

Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE: PEG) was maintained as Underperform and the target was less than the share price. But that target price was raised to $42 from $29.50, and its earnings estimates were raised slightly as well.

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About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

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