Latest news with #MiddlesexWater
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Middlesex Water (MSEX) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments. While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases. Based in Iselin, Middlesex Water (MSEX) is in the Utilities sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 8.44%. The water utility is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.34 per share, with a dividend yield of 2.38%. This compares to the Utility - Water Supply industry's yield of 2.53% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54%. In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.36 is up 3.4% from last year. Middlesex Water has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 6.15%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Middlesex Water's current payout ratio is 56%. This means it paid out 56% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend. MSEX is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $2.53 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 2.43%. Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout. High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, MSEX is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold). 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 Middlesex Water Company (MSEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Reasons to Add Middlesex Water Stock to Your Portfolio Right Away
Middlesex Water Company's MSEX strategic investments should help support future growth and expand its customer base. The company benefits from acquisitions by expanding its operations. Given its growth opportunities, Middlesex Water makes for a solid investment option in the utility focus on the factors that make this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company a strong investment option at the moment. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has moved up 4.5% in the past 90 days to $ Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 revenues is pinned at $200 million, implying a year-over-year increase of 4.2%.MSEX's long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 6.1%. The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 11% for the trailing four quarters. Middlesex Water's total debt to capital is 44.34%, better than the industry's average of 56.04%.The time-to-interest earned ratio at the end of the first quarter of 2025 was 4.7. The ratio, being greater than one, reflects the company's ability to meet future interest obligations without difficulties. Middlesex Water been consistently paying dividends and increasing its shareholders' value. The company has raised its dividend for 52 consecutive years. Currently, its quarterly dividend is 34 cents per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $1.36. Its current dividend yield is 2.37%, better than the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 1.25%. Middlesex Water plans to invest approximately $387 million in its water and wastewater infrastructure over the next three years. This investment is aimed at upgrading and enhancing the reliability of the company's existing infrastructure to better serve its company aims to expand its operations through acquisitions. In April 2025, MSEX's unit Tidewater Utilities, Inc. acquired the water assets of the Town of Ocean View ('TOV') in Sussex County, DE, for $4.6 million. The acquisition of TOV's assets will expand Middlesex Water's operation in Delaware and add 900 customers to its existing base. Year to date, the company has returned 9.1% compared with the sector's 8.1% growth. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research A few other top-ranked stocks from the same sector are Artesian Resources ARTNA, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, and Evergy EVRG and Exelon Corporation EXC, both holding a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARTNA's 2025 EPS is pegged at $2.16, implying a year-over-year improvement of 9.1%. The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 18.6% in the last four long-term earnings growth rate is 5.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 EPS is pegged at $4.03, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 5.8%.EXC's long-term earnings growth rate is 6.42%. The company delivered an average earnings surprise of 10.1% for the trailing four quarters. 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 Exelon Corporation (EXC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Middlesex Water Company (MSEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Artesian Resources Corporation (ARTNA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Evergy Inc. (EVRG) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are Utilities Stocks Lagging Fortis (FTS) This Year?
For those looking to find strong Utilities stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Fortis (FTS) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Utilities peers, we might be able to answer that question. Fortis is a member of the Utilities sector. This group includes 106 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #2. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. The Zacks Rank emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Fortis is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FTS' full-year earnings has moved 4.9% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving. Based on the most recent data, FTS has returned 16.3% so far this year. In comparison, Utilities companies have returned an average of 7.4%. This shows that Fortis is outperforming its peers so far this year. Another Utilities stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Middlesex Water (MSEX). The stock has returned 8.7% year-to-date. Over the past three months, Middlesex Water's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4.6%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Breaking things down more, Fortis is a member of the Utility - Electric Power industry, which includes 60 individual companies and currently sits at #55 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 7.5% this year, meaning that FTS is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Middlesex Water, however, belongs to the Utility - Water Supply industry. Currently, this 12-stock industry is ranked #88. The industry has moved +16.9% so far this year. Investors interested in the Utilities sector may want to keep a close eye on Fortis and Middlesex Water as they attempt to continue their solid performance. 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 Fortis (FTS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Middlesex Water Company (MSEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Middlesex Water First Quarter 2025 Earnings: Revenues Beat Expectations, EPS Lags
Revenue: US$44.3m (up 9.3% from 1Q 2024). Net income: US$9.46m (down 11% from 1Q 2024). Profit margin: 21% (down from 26% in 1Q 2024). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. EPS: US$0.53 (down from US$0.60 in 1Q 2024). We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Revenue exceeded analyst estimates by 1.2%. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 12%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 5.3% p.a. on average during the next 2 years, compared to a 6.4% growth forecast for the Water Utilities industry in the US. Performance of the American Water Utilities industry. The company's shares are down 1.8% from a week ago. You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Middlesex Water you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit concerning. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Middlesex Water Full Year 2024 Earnings: Beats Expectations
Revenue: US$191.9m (up 15% from FY 2023). Net income: US$44.2m (up 41% from FY 2023). Profit margin: 23% (up from 19% in FY 2023). The increase in margin was driven by higher revenue. EPS: US$2.48 (up from US$1.77 in FY 2023). All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period Revenue exceeded analyst estimates by 2.9%. Earnings per share (EPS) also surpassed analyst estimates by 5.6%. Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 6.4% p.a. on average during the next 2 years, compared to a 6.3% growth forecast for the Water Utilities industry in the US. Performance of the American Water Utilities industry. The company's shares are down 1.6% from a week ago. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Middlesex Water (1 can't be ignored) you should be aware of. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
