Atmos Energy Corporation’s (ATO) strategic investment plans should further increase the safety and reliability of its natural gas pipelines, distribution and transportation systems, and drive its performance. Given its growth opportunities, ATO makes for a solid investment option in the utility sector.Let’s focus on the factors that make this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company a strong investment pick at the moment.Growth Projections & Surprise HistoryThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2024 earnings per share ...

Inflation is on the rise again this year, with concerns growing over the Federal Reserve’s timing of its first rate cut. Investors who were hopeful about the Federal Reserve starting its rate cuts as early as March, now believe it could be delayed for a longer period.The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that the consumer price index (CPI) increased 0.4% month over month, more than January’s rise of 0.3% and the highest since September 2023.On a year-over-year basis, CPI rose 3.2% in February hi ...

Wall Street witnessed an impressive bull run in 2023, but the utility sector suffered a blow. Of the 11 broad sectors of the market’s benchmark — the S&P 500 Index — the Utility sector declined more than 11%. Investors’ preference shifted to growth stocks from defensive sectors like utility as the Fed significantly reduced the magnitude of interest rate hikes.However, the utility sector is likely to regain momentum in 2024. Last week, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell gave his testimony before the Senate after app ...

Inflation rose for the second consecutive month in February, raising concerns of a rate cut anytime soon. The Labor Department reported on Mar 12 that the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4% in February. Although the jump came in line with the economists’ expectations, it was higher than January’s jump of 0.3%.Also, this was the biggest jump since September 2023, following which inflation declined steadily, encouraging the Federal Reserve to halt interest rate hikes.Year over year, CPI rose 3.2% in Februar ...

Investors interested in Utilities stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Atmos Energy (ATO) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Utilities sector should help us answer this question.Atmos Energy is a member of our Utilities group, which includes 104 different companies and currently sits at #10 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, ...

Fed Chair Jerome Powell always emphasized that interest rate cuts later this year will be fitting, but they are reliant on the path of the economy.Talking about the economy, the labor market continued to exhibit strength with 275,000 nonfarm jobs added in February, much higher than the forecasted 200,000, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Payrolls are, thus, almost double the number of monthly jobs needed to keep up with growth among the working-age population.However, it’s the rise in the unemployment le ...

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a met ...

Atmos Energy Corporation’s (ATO) strategic investment plans are expected to help increase the safety and reliability of its natural gas pipelines. The company gains from industrial customer additions and constructive rate outcomes. ATO’s steady performance has enabled it to reward shareholders through consistent hikes in its annual dividend rate.However, this currently Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company faces strong competition from other clean alternative fuel suppliers.TailwindsAtmos Energy has a sturdy capital ...

When Interest Rates Are Cut, 6 Dividend Aristocrats Could Skyrocket ptasha / iStock via Getty Images The Federal Reserve started raising interest rates almost two years ago. While it is likely that we have seen the last of the rate hikes, it could be a long time before the current rates at 5.25%-5.5 % start to come down. Spiking inflation in January at the consumer and producer level put the kibosh on the anticipated March cuts, and while many now point to the summer for a rate cut, a raging stock market, ...

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric th ...