In the first quarter, despite the challenging economic conditions, Utilities are likely to have benefited from unending demand for services.

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, March 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. electric industry may ask essential staff to live on site at power plants and control centers to keep operations running if the coronavirus outbreak worsens, and has been stockpiling beds, blankets, and food for them, according to industry trade groups and electric cooperatives. The contingency plans, if enacted, would mark an unprecedented step by power providers to keep their highly-skilled workers healthy as both private industry and governments scramble to minimize the impact of the global pandemic that has infected more than 227,000 people worldwide. “The focus needs to be on things that keep the lights on and the gas flowing,” said Scott Aaronson, vice president of security and preparedness at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the nation’s biggest power industry association.

Con Ed (ED) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.

Con Edison is drawing on the expertise of its workers in a Bronx machine shop to manufacture 40,000 face shields for Westchester County health-care workers who are treating coronavirus patients. The company today turned the first 6,000 plastic shields over to Westchester County Executive George Latimer and plans to make and donate the remaining shields by the end of the month. The county government will distribute the shields to hospitals and nursing homes.

Utility earnings in the first quarter are expected to have benefited from higher residential demand, while milder winter weather conditions could have offset some of the positives.

NEW YORK, May 07, 2020 -- Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) (NYSE: ED) today reported 2020 first quarter net income for common stock of $375 million or $1.13 a share.

Are you looking for a wild ride or are you looking for consistent income? For a de-risked portfolio and solid dividends, utilities stocks are a time-tested favorite investment option.Along with the dividends, utilities stocks are considered relatively safe because they provide power to homes and businesses. This is considered a necessity that never goes out of style. * 7 Sluggish Stocks Hit Hard by Coronavirus This Earnings Season It's a sound policy to stick to the best companies in any sector. When it comes to utilities companies, five names are well-regarded and have a long history:InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) * Southern (NYSE:SO) * Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) * Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED) * Excelon (NASDAQ:EXC)Feel free to explore these utilities stocks and see if they deserve a place among your low-volatility holdings. Utilities Stocks to Buy: Duke Energy (DUK)Source: jadimages / Shutterstock.com Like just about every company in the United States, Duke Energy is dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. This particular company seems to be taking the situation in stride, however.Consider Duke's first-quarter net income, which came out to $899 million. That's just about exactly in line with the same quarter of the previous year, when Duke's net income was $900 million. Meanwhile, this year's first-quarter revenue totaled $5.95 billion, which is not too far below the $6.16 billion reported in the first quarter of the prior year.So, while there is some pressure being felt during the pandemic, it's not too severe. For the time being, DUK stockholders can ride out the crisis with a decent 4.54% forward annual dividend yield. Southern (SO)Source: Shutterstock "Critical infrastructure businesses like ours never take a day off," observed Thomas A. Fanning, the president and CEO of utilities giant Southern. Fanning's 100% right about that as Southern is an essential utilities provider for around 8 million customers.Southern remains in good fiscal health, as well. For 2020's first quarter, the company posted adjusted earnings per share of 78 cents. That's an eight-cent year-over-year increase as well as 6 cents greater than the company's estimate. * 10 Best High-Growth Stocks to Buy for Young Investors SO stock is a safe bet since it has such a massive presence and is crucial to people's standard of living. It's also a dividend achiever with a forward annual yield of 4.78%. All in all, this pick deserves to be on anyone's top utilities stocks list. Dominion Energy (D)Source: Riccardo Annandale Via UnsplashIf you said that D stock is recession-proof, you'd by exaggerating but only slightly. The shares have held up fairly well during the novel coronavirus crisis. Besides, the 4.77% forward annual dividend yield is a strong incentive to hold the stock.Fiscally, Dominion Energy has held up reasonably well despite the pandemic. For the first quarter of this year, Dominion reported total revenues of $4.5 billion. That's actually a marked improvement over the revenues of $3.9 billion Dominion generated in the year-ago quarter.With over 7 million customers across 20 U.S. states relying on Dominion for their energy needs, this company's a mainstay in the utilities sector and D stock is a highly reliable income generator. Consolidated Edison (ED)Source: Shutterstock Like to invest in companies that have been around for a while? If so, take a look at Consolidated Edison, which was founded way back in 1884. If you happen to reside in New York or New Jersey, there's a fair chance that your electricity service is provided by this esteemed company.Has "Con Ed" been able to weather the Covid storm? The answer would be yes as the company's adjusted earnings for the first quarter totaled $451 million. That's $1.35 per share and it beats the $448 million, or $1.39 per share, generated during the same quarter of last year. * Missing copy for url 1. Please edit. * Url 1 is an external link. Please edit.Plus, ED stock features a trailing 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18.15 and a forward annual dividend yield of 4.32%. Those are nice stats and this stock should perform well even in these challenging times. Excelon (EXC)Source: Shutterstock This one's a little bit different from the other utilities-sector stocks on this list. Excelon is a relative newcomer, having been incorporated in 1999. Plus, EXC stock is the only name on this list that's traded on the Nasdaq.So, it could be argued that Excelon is a more "modern" utilities company. Its true strength, however, is that it's diversified with fossil, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind and solar segments.With 87 cents per share in operating earnings for 2020's first quarter, Excelon remains on par with its results from the same quarter of last year. Additionally, a trailing 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 13.79 and a forward annual dividend yield of 4.17% indicate a compelling value with EXC stock.David Moadel has provided compelling content - and crossed the occasional line - on behalf of Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finom Group, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets. As of this writing, David Moadel did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * America's Richest ZIP Code Holds Shocking Secret * 1 Under-the-Radar 5G Stock to Buy Now * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post 5 Utilities Stocks That Will Help Pay the Bills appeared first on InvestorPlace.

The analysts might have been a bit too bullish on Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED), given that the company fell...

Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 11% in the last...

Consolidated Edison's (ED) Q1 results are likely to reflect positive impacts of a favorable mix of weather patterns.

Con Edison Chairman and CEO John McAvoy told shareholders today the company is committed to clean energy alternatives and an aggressive expansion of energy efficiency programs. Con Edison will triple its energy efficiency programs with an investment of more than $1.5 billion by 2025, help customers reduce their reliance on natural gas with incentives for ground and air-source heat pumps, and continue its support of electric vehicle adoption, McAvoy said during the company’s first virtual-only annual meeting. “I believe one of the keys to rebuilding our communities and boosting the economy is maintaining our focus on clean energy,” he said.

Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) (ED) will hold its annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) in a virtual-only meeting format on Monday, May 18, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (“EDT”). As part of Con Edison’s effort to maintain a safe and healthy environment at its Annual Meeting and to protect the well-being of its employees and stockholders, after taking into account the guidance and protocols issued by public health authorities and federal, state and local governments regarding the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Con Edison has decided to host its Annual Meeting by means of a virtual-only format this year at www.meetingcenter.io/249286494. Con Edison has designed the virtual Annual Meeting to offer the same participation opportunities as an in-person meeting.

John McAvoy became the CEO of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) in 2013. This report will, first, examine the CEO...

Consolidated Edison's (ED) operating expenses in the first quarter of 2020 decrease 11% year over year, led by a decline in purchase power, gas purchased for resale and fuel expenses.

NEW YORK, April 16, 2020 -- Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) (NYSE: ED) declared a quarterly dividend of 76.5 cents a share on its common stock, payable June 15, 2020 to.

Con Ed (ED) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.

EQM Midstream Partners LP said on Thursday it still sees a "narrow path" to complete its long-delayed $5.4 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia by late 2020. Analysts, however, said Mountain Valley and other pipelines would probably be delayed by a decision by a federal judge in Montana that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not comply with the Endangered Species Act. EQM said in its first quarter earnings that Mountain Valley "is working through the project’s remaining legal and regulatory challenges to achieve the targeted late 2020 full in-service date."

Recent buys from company CFOs Continue reading...

NEW YORK, April 22, 2020 -- Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) (NYSE:ED) plans to report its 1st Quarter 2020 earnings on May 7, 2020 after the market closes. Consolidated.

Con Edison has invested $1.3 billion in its electric-delivery systems to keep service reliable this summer while continuing to be a leader in adding new technologies to build a clean energy future. Con Edison is preparing for a typically hot New York summer and one that brings the additional challenge of protecting the public and employees during the coronavirus health emergency. The company projects summer bills for typical New York City residential customers will be higher this summer due to more people staying home, as well as increased supply charges by power generators.