Natural Gas Supplies Up, Natural Gas Prices Up, Gas Stocks with High Yields

According to the the U.S. Energy Information Administration, natural gas supplies increased by 49 billion cubic feet for the week ended April 18. In addition, natural gas prices increased by 1.5 cents to $4.745 per million BTUs.

So what's going on with natural gas utilities? Atmos Energy Corp (ATO), which distributes natural gas to Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Colorado, Kansas, and Kentucky, is one on the stocks on the WallStreetNewsNetwork.com list of natural gas stocks. The stock trades at 18 times trailing earnings, and 16.5 times forward earnings. The stock pays a decent yield of 3.1%. Dividends have increased every year for at least the last ten years. Earnings increased 8.1% for the latest quarter on a 21.4% revenue increase. The company reports earnings on May 7.

Northwest Natural Gas (NWN) pays a generous yield of 4.2%. The company serves over 680,000 customers in Washington and Oregon. Current P/E is 20, with a forward P/E of 18.  For the latest reported quarter, earnings were up 3.1%, with revenues rising 13.6%. The company's next earnings announcement is May 2.

For a free list of natural gas stocks, almost all of which have yields in excess of 2%, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author didn't own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

High Yields from Natural Gas Stocks

Yes, it is the middle of the ht summer. Time to be thinking about natural gas consumption in the winter and natural gas stocks. According to a recent article in Bloomberg, natural gas has matched coal as the leading power generating fuel for the first time ever since the US Government started tracking this information.

Let's take a closer look at stocks involved in the distribution of natural gas to both homes and businesses. According to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, over 15 of them have yields paying more than 3%. As an example, Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD) is a high yielding gas company, which yields 4.8%. The stock trades at 19.3 times current earnings, and 20.4 times forward earnings.

TransCanada Corp. (TRP), based in Calgery, Alberta, Canada, owns and operates natural gas pipelines and regulated gas storage facilities throughout Northern California. The company, which trades at 23 times earnings, pays a generous yield of 3.9%. You should be aware of the foreign withholding tax which can affect your yield. Speak with your tax preparer before putting this stock in a retirement plan.

Other high yield gas companies include Sempra Energy (SRE) at 3.5%, WGL Holdings Inc (WGL) paying 4.0%, and Northwest Natural Gas (NWN) at a 3.7% yield. You can access a free list of over 25 natural gas companies, along with their price to earnings data, at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author didn't own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Natural Gas Stocks are a Gas Gas Gas

Natural gas has tanked 39% this year, the worst performer of all the commodities. Natural gas should increase to $4 per million BTU pretty soon, according to Goldman Sachs (GS). This is primarily due to production cutbacks from major producers and increased demand from utilities this year. It is significant since gas dropped 39% this year, the worst performing of all utilities.

There are many publicly traded companies involved in the distribution of natural gas, to both homes and businesses, and over 15 over them have yields in excess of 3%. For example, TransCanada Corp. (TRP), based in Calgery, Alberta, Canada, owns and operates natural gas pipelines and regulated gas storage facilities throughout Northern California. The company, which trades at 20 times earnings, pays a generous yield of 4.0%. (Talk to your accountant about foreign withholding tax, especially when foreign stocks are put in a retirement plan.) Earnings for the latest quarter were up 37.5% on a 14.7% rise in revenues.

Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPD) is another high yielder gas company, which yields 4.9%. The stock trades at 21.6 times earnings, and earnings for the latest reported quarter ending December 31, were up an amazing 351.3% year over year, on a revenue increase of 20.9%. The company reports earning on May 2.

More options are available and worth further research including Northwest Natural Gas (NWN) at a 3.9% yield, WGL Holdings Inc (WGL) paying 4.0%, and Sempra Energy (SRE) at 3.7%. You can access a free list of over 25 natural gas companies, along with their price to earnings data, at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author didn't own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Carl Icahn Pumps Gas

On Monday, it was announced that billionaire trader and investor Carl Icahn increased his stake in Chesapeake Energy (CHK) from from 16.6 million shares to 38.6 million shares, an increase of over 132%. This announcement set off a buying frenzy, causing the stock to jump almost 9% during the day. Of course, Chesapeake trades at 9.8 times forward earnings and is one of the natural gas utilities that pays a yield, giving its investors a payout of 1.3%.

According to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, there are over 25 natural gas stock paying yields as high as 7%. For example, Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) is a Dallas, Texas based distributor of natural gas that yields 4.3%. As a matter of fact, the company just increased its payout from $0.335 per quarter to $0.34, and has increased its dividend every year since 1989. The stock has a forward price to earnings ratio of 13 and recently reported a 20.9% increase in revenues.

TransCanada Corp. (TRP) is a Calgary, Alberta based natural gas distributor which has a dividend payout of 4.2%. It is also involved in electrical generation. The stock trades at 16 times forward earnings, with earnings rising for the latest quarter 13.3% on a 3.9% rise in revenues.

Northwest Natural Gas Company (NWN), which distributes gas in Washington, Oregon, and California, yields 3.7%. The stock has a forward PE of 16.7. However, revenues were down 18.6% for the latest quarter.

To see the entire list of natural gas stocks that pay dividends, which can be downloaded, sorted, and updated, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author didn't own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Highest Yielding Natural Gas Stocks: They're a Gas, Gas, Gas!

Income investors like natural gas stocks for several reasons. First, they pay a decent dividend with over 15 paying more than 4%. Second, they provide diversification from electric utilities. The average price to earnings ratio for all these stocks is less than 15. And in terms of gas stocks, in addition to natural gas companies, investors can also choose propane distributors.

There are plenty of natural gas and propane gas utilities available to invest in. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has just updated their list of about 25 gas utilities with yields ranging from 2% to above 8%. Here are some examples.

Amerigas Partners (APU) PE: 12.35 forward PE: 13.6 PEG: 2.5 yield: 6.9%

Spectra Energy (SE) PE: 14.53 forward PE: 11.8 PEG: 1.3 yield: 5.0%

Transcanada Corp (TRP) PE: 18.42 forward PE: 14.4 PEG: 3.4 yield: 4.6%

Northwest Nat Gas (NWN) PE: 16.24 forward PE: 15.4 PEG: 3.4 yield: 3.8%

You might also consider investing in electric utilities, which also pay fairly high yields, many in excess of 5%.

To see a list of 25 gas utilities in the form of a free downloadable Excel database of natural gas and propane stocks, eight of which yield more than 5%, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Fifth Week of July

Here is our latest update on the stock trading technique called 'Buying Dividends'. This is the process of buying stocks before the ex dividend date and selling the stock shortly after the ex date at about the same price, yet still being entitled to the dividend. This technique generally works only in bull markets. In flat or choppy markets, your have to be extremely careful.

In order to be entitled to the dividend, you have to buy the stock before the ex-dividend date, and you can't sell the stock until after the ex date. The actual dividend may not be paid for another few weeks. WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has compiled a downloadable and sortable Excel list of the stocks going ex dividend during the next week or two. The list contains many dividend paying companies, all with market caps over $500 million, and yields over 3%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Northwest Natural Gas (NWN) market cap: $1.2B ex div date: 7/28/2010 yield: 3.7%

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. (SKT) market cap: $1.8B ex div date: 7/28/2010 yield: 3.6%

Duncan Energy Partners L.P. (DEP) market cap: $1.7B ex div date: 7/28/2010 yield: 6.3%

ConocoPhillips (COP) market cap: $80.7B ex div date: 7/29/2010 yield: 4.2%

The additional ex-dividend stocks can be found at wsnn.com. (If you have been to the website before, and the latest link doesn't show up, you may have to empty your cache.) If you like dividend stocks, you should check out the high yield utility stocks and the Monthly Dividend Stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com or WSNN.com.

Dividend definitions:

Declaration date: the day that the company declares that there is going to be an upcoming dividend.

Ex-dividend date: the day on which if you buy the stock, you would not be entitled to that particular dividend; or the first day on which a shareholder can sell the shares and still be entitled to the dividend.

Record date: the day when you must be on the company's books as a shareholder to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is normally set for stocks two business days before the record date.

Payment date: the day on which the dividend payment is actually made, which can be as long at two months after the ex date.

Don't forget to reconfirm the ex-dividend date with the company before implementing this technique.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com