After the closing bell on Thursday, Consolidated Edison (ED) released its fourth quarter financial results. Here’s what the results mean for mutual fund investors.
Inside ED’s Results
Earnings
The company reported earnings of $81 million, or 28 cents per share, down from $234 million, or 79 cents per share, last year. Excluding special items, earnings were 58 cents per share – above analysts’ view of 55 cents per share.
Revenue
Revenue dipped 1% to $2.83 billion from $2.87 billion. Analysts expected to see revenue of $2.52 billion.
Outlook
Looking ahead to FY2015, the company expects EPS to be between $3.80 and $4.00. Analysts expect to see EPS of $3.93 per share.
The Chase for Yield
Utility companies like ED have been a favorite among income-focused investors, as the average dividend yield for a company in the industry is 3.80%. In the low interest rate environment, yield-chasing investors have been piling into these high yield positions, which has sent shares upward. Investors should be aware that a rise in interest rates could hurt shares of ED.
ED is currently trading at about 16x 2015 earnings estimates and has a dividend yield of 4.10%.
Mutual Funds to Watch
Investors interested in ED may be interested in the funds listed below. These funds currently have the largest stakes in the company.
| Symbol | Mutual Fund | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| VTSMX | Vanguard Total Stock Market Index | 1.72% |
| VFINX | Vanguard 500 Index | 1.31% |
| LCEAX | Invesco Diversified Dividend | 0.89% |
The Bottom Line
The funds listed above allow investors to gain exposure to a wide range of holdings. Investors interested in ED may also be interested in Dominion Resources (D) and Exelon (EXC).