4 Top Yielding Gas Utility Stocks

Income investors looking for income may have a portfolio that is filled with electric utility stocks, since that is the first type of stock that most investors think of when they hear "high income stock." However, investors may want to consider the natural gas utilities for additional diversification.

According to the free list of gas utility stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, there are two dozen natural gas utilities, with over ten having yields of 4% or more.

As an example, WGL Holdings (WGL) pays investors a yield of 4%. Dividends, which are paid quarterly, were increased by 5% earlier this year. The company distributes natural gas to customers in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The stock trades at 15.6 times trailing earnings and 15.9 times forward earnings. 

Atmos Energy Corp (ATO) is a Dallas, Texas based company that has a trailing price to earnings ratio of 15.8 and a forward P/E ratio of 15.5. It pays a decent yield of 3.4%.

N J Resources (NJR) is a Wall, New Jersey based distributor of natural gas. The P/E is 14.4 and the forward P/E is 15.4. The stock has a yield of 3.9%.

Amerigas Partners (APU) isn't actually a natural gas distributor, it's a distributor of propane gas, and propane accessories. The company is structured as a limited partnership, so caution is in order if you are considering putting this in a retirement plan. The current P/E is 23.1, with a forward P/E of 15.6. It pays a very generous yield of 7.8%.

If you are looking for additional income diversification, you may want to check out the gas utility stocks list at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. The list includes the PE, the forward PE, the PEG ratio, and the yield.

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

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Second Week of February 2012

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, you have to be extremely careful, and may need to avoid the technique during those times.

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 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 2%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the market capitalization, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (MDC) market cap: $997.0M ex div date: 2/6/2012 yield: 4.7%

Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. (TNP) market cap: $304.6M ex div date: 2/7/2012 yield: 9.3%

Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NMM) market cap: $915.9M ex div date: 2/7/2012 yield: 11.0%

Astral Media, Inc. (AAIAF) market cap: $2.2B ex div date: 2/8/2012 yield: 3.2%

American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) market cap: $19.9B ex div date: 2/8/2012 yield: 4.5%

AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (APU) market cap: $3.8B ex div date: 2/8/2012 yield: 6.9%

Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. (HCBK) market cap: $3.7B ex div date: 2/8/2012 yield: 4.4%

Spectra Energy Corp. (SE) market cap: $20.7B ex div date: 2/8/2012 yield: 3.5%

Wisconsin Energy Corporation (WEC) market cap: $8.0B ex div date: 2/10/2012 yield: 3.5%

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.

Monthly Dividend Stock List
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.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Stocks Going Ex Dividend the Second Week of February

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, you 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 2%. Here are a few examples showing the stock symbol, the market capitalization, the ex-dividend date and the yield.

Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NMM) market cap: $797.3M ex div date: 2/7/2011 yield: 8.8%

AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (APU) market cap: $2.9B ex div date: 2/8/2011 yield: 5.7%

Cedar Shopping Centers Inc (CDR) market cap: $392.6M ex div date: 2/9/2011 yield: 6.1%

Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) market cap: $24.1B ex div date: 2/9/2011 yield: 5.4%

Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) market cap: $40.1B ex div date: 2/11/2011 yield: 5.6%

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.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time 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

Top Yielding Natural Gas Stocks

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%, such as Nicor Inc (GAS) yielding 4.5%, Amerigas Partners (APU) yielding 7%, and Sempra Energy (SRE) yielding 3.2%.

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

Gas Utilities are a Gas: 17 Pay Over 4%

The price of natural gas is relatively very low, so consumers don't mind cranking up the heat. Now were are entering the Winter season when consumption will increase. How about looking at natural gas utilities as possible investments, especially because of the great dividends. Seventeen of these stocks pay 4% or more.

Here are a few examples of high yielding natural gas and propane utilities and limited partnerships:

Amerigas Partners (APU) 7.1%
Laclede Group Inc (LG) 5.1%
Spectra Energy (SE) 5.1%
Nicor Inc (GAS) 5.0%

To see a list of 25 gas utilities, you can get a free downloadable Excel database of natural gas and propane stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

By Stockerblog.com