American Electric Power Company Inc (AEP-N)

A utility that serves 5.6 million customers in 11 states. Has pulled back 5% so fat this year as Wall Street rotates out of this sector, but he expects this rotation will reverse soon. Yesterday they reported another strong quarter with top and bottom line beats in Q4, and will sell an unregulated renewable business.

He typically doesn’t own utilities because they tend to be dividend yield plays, not dividend growth. This is an excellent company serving about 5.5 million customers in 11 states. You get good consistent mid-single digit dividend growth and earnings growth. Half their power generation comes from coal, so they are going to have to spend money over the next 5-6 years to retrofit some of their plants. Dividend yield of 3.4%.

This is fine. It is defensive. Utilities in general are defensive. They have a contentious case in Ohio to become a regulated utility. Thinks it is a stable, safe place. Not a lot of upside. Dividend yield of about 3.5%.

(A Top Pick April 7/14. Up 16.47%.) Sold this at around $61 in order to pick up some other names he wanted.

(A Top Pick April 7/14. Up 16.9%.) He got out of this back in November when it hit his target, with a gain of about 22%.