Stockchase Opinions

Jim Cramer - Mad Money Duke Energy DUK-N WATCH May 14, 2021

They have an attractive core business with operations in the Carolinas, Florida and the midwest. But they also have liabilities that led to credit downgrade last March. He wouldn't be excited by a slow, steady utilities company at this stage of the cycle, but Next Era has been trying to buy DUK for the past year. DUK pays you a 3.7% yield to wait. They reported a solid quarter this week. Shares were up 2%. They've benefited from the input of a non-hostile activist investor.

$103.555

Stock price when the opinion was issued

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HOLD
US utilities based in the Carolinas. The midstream and gas transmission business was just split off into Spectra Energy (SE-N). Has one of the best reputations in the industry in terms of management, asset quality and good geographic diversity.
COMMENT
Model price is $19.73, a 15% positive differential. There is more value elsewhere.
BUY
This, along with a lot of utilities in the US can be divided into regulated and unregulated. This is more into the regulated business where rates are guaranteed by the government. Yields a relatively strong. A defensive play. If your time horizon is relatively long and you are looking for a stable business this will allow you to sleep at nights.
COMMENT

A good quality company, but the problem he has with yield is that we are entering period where we are going to have a rate raise in the US next week. If that is true, utilities are probably the sector that he would avoid most, especially in the US. He would look at a US pipeline instead, or even a telco.

COMMENT

Essentially an energy infrastructure, which he likes as a theme. Overall, he likes this name and thinks it will do all right.

BUY
Utility recommendation? Pays a 3.5% yield, and well-run. It's a steady-eddy and operates in the Carolinas, so offers geographic diversification for your portfolio.
WAIT
For this, and all the utility companies, stock price is high in a low interest rate environment because of the dividend. Minimal growth. Will be hurt if interest rates rise. If that happens, you'll probably be able to buy it cheaper.
BUY
They supply natural gas and electricity to 9 million in the south, east and midwest. They're transitioning away from coal into low-carbon energy as they target 5-7% annual earnings growth in the next five years. It's working. It's up 2% YTD, trades at less than 20x PE and pays a 5% dividend. Utilities are a nice place to hide--they're steady businesses that pay safe diviends.
HOLD

A fine utility, but it's trading down with its peers.