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 ...

Core Insights - CenterPoint Energy has made significant progress in the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), with approximately 70% of the second phase now complete, aiming to enhance grid resiliency before the 2025 hurricane season [1][4][5] Group 1: GHRI Progress - The company has completed 350 miles of undergrounding, installed over 17,500 stronger poles, cleared over 2,900 miles of high-risk vegetation, and placed over 3,380 automated reliability devices [1][2][5] - GHRI efforts are expected to reduce outages for customers by more than 125 million minutes annually [1][2][5] Group 2: Upcoming Initiatives - CenterPoint plans to install 100 new local weather monitoring stations by June 1 to enhance storm preparation and situational awareness [3][5] - The company continues to improve communication and preparedness through a year-round safety campaign and engagement with local officials [6][7] Group 3: Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy is the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, serving approximately 7 million metered customers across multiple states [8]

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced significant losses, with the Dow recording back-to-back losses exceeding 1,500 points on April 3 and 4, including a drop of 2,231 points on April 4, marking one of the highest single-day declines in history [4] - The S&P 500 index fell more than 10% over the last two trading days of the previous week, with a 6% drop on April 6, its worst day since March 2020, currently in correction territory with a 17% decline from its February peak [5] - The Nasdaq Composite also plummeted 6% on each of the last two trading days, now in bear territory with a 22% drop from its recent high, while the CBOE VIX reached 45 on April 4, indicating extreme market fear [6] Defensive Stocks Recommendations - Investing in defensive sectors such as consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare is recommended, with five stocks identified: Molson Coors Beverage Co. (TAP), CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP), WEC Energy Group Inc. (WEC), Abbott Laboratories (ABT), and HCA Healthcare Inc. (HCA) [3][7] Company Insights Molson Coors Beverage Co. (TAP) - TAP has shown strong performance in Canada and EMEA&APAC, with Q4 2024 results surpassing estimates and year-over-year earnings growth [11] - Projected sales growth for 2025 is in low-single digits, with underlying EPS expected to grow in high-single digits [12] - Current revenue and earnings growth rates are 0.1% and 6.9%, respectively, with a dividend yield of 3.07% [13] CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP) - CNP is positioned to benefit from rising electricity demand due to the electrification of transportation and investments in renewable energy [14] - The company is investing in infrastructure to support electric vehicle (EV) growth, including off-road electrification initiatives [16] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 3.2% and 8%, respectively, with a dividend yield of 2.44% [17] WEC Energy Group Inc. (WEC) - WEC is benefiting from both organic and inorganic growth, with strategic investments aimed at enhancing infrastructure and achieving net carbon neutrality by 2050 [18] - Demand from commercial and residential customers is improving, with expected revenue growth in the 2025-2027 period [19] - Current revenue and earnings growth rates are 9.2% and 8.5%, respectively, with a dividend yield of 3.42% [20] Abbott Laboratories (ABT) - ABT utilizes AI for healthcare solutions, including advanced medical imaging and predictive algorithms for heart attack prevention [21] - The company holds a strong position in point-of-care testing across various health areas [22] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 5.9% and 10.3%, respectively, with a dividend yield of 1.90% [23] HCA Healthcare Inc. (HCA) - HCA's revenues are increasing due to growth in admissions and surgeries, with projected revenues for 2025 between $72.8 billion and $75.8 billion, indicating a 5.2% rise from 2024 [24] - The company has benefited from acquisitions and its telemedicine business, with operating cash flows rising 11.5% year over year in 2024 [25] - Expected revenue and earnings growth rates for the current year are 5.8% and 13.8%, respectively, with a dividend yield of 0.87% [25]

CenterPoint proposal to remove emergency temporary generation costs would lower monthly bills immediately and by as much as $2 per month by 2027 15 generation units would be sent to San Antonio area by Summer 2025 to help meet Texas' current and future energy needsHOUSTON, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, as part of its continuing commitment to better serve customers across the Greater Houston area, CenterPoint testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce on its proposal to remov ...

Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas [1] - The company serves approximately 7 million metered customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas [1] - As of December 31, 2024, CenterPoint Energy owned approximately $44 billion in assets [1] - The company has approximately 8,500 employees and has been in business for over 150 years [1] Upcoming Events - CenterPoint Energy will hold its First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call on April 24, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. Central time [1] - The conference call can be accessed via the internet through the company's investor relations page [1]

SAN DIEGO, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnson Fistel, PLLP, a shareholder rights law firm, announces its investigating potential breaches of fiduciary duties by certain directors and officers of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) in relation to their obligations to the company's shareholders. What can I do? If you are a current CenterPoint Energy, Inc. shareholder, you may have legal claims that may be brought on behalf of the company, against the company's directors and officers. If you wish to d ...

Core Insights - Osmose and Neara have formed a strategic partnership to enhance utility asset risk assessment and improve data quality for companies like CenterPoint Energy [1][2] - The collaboration aims to address data quality challenges that hinder effective decision-making in utility management [2][3] Group 1: Partnership Overview - The partnership combines Osmose's expertise in field data collection and structural analysis with Neara's AI-driven predictive modeling [2][3] - This collaboration will enable utilities to prioritize asset upgrades more efficiently and accurately [1][3] Group 2: Benefits of the Partnership - Enhancing data accuracy through on-site verification by Osmose and AI processing by Neara, leading to more reliable structural data [5][6] - Improving risk-based decision-making by providing insights into asset conditions and applying predictive analytics to quantify risk [5][6] - Optimizing restoration strategies by allowing utilities to target efforts with precision and prioritize actions based on risk-adjusted priorities [5][6] Group 3: Impact on CenterPoint Energy - CenterPoint Energy is utilizing the partnership's tools to enhance storm preparedness and improve network reliability [3][4] - The collaboration supports a proactive, data-driven approach to utility management, moving beyond traditional inspection cycles [4][5] Group 4: Quantifiable Outcomes - The partnership can lead to up to 70% cost savings by reinforcing rather than replacing high-risk assets [10] - It can achieve up to 80% faster restoration times, minimizing disruptions and enhancing reliability [10] - The partnership aims for 25% more accurate asset prioritization, ensuring critical upgrades are addressed first [10]

Industry Overview - Utility service providers are benefiting from increased electricity tariffs, accretive acquisitions, cost reductions, and energy-efficiency initiatives [1] - The U.S. electric power sector is transitioning towards cleaner energy sources, with renewable energy expected to account for 25% of electricity generation in 2025 and 27% in 2026 [6] Infrastructure and Demand - Utility companies in the U.S. are enhancing their infrastructure for electricity generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and sales [2] - There is a significant surge in electricity demand from data centers, with projections indicating a near tripling of power use by 2028, potentially reaching 6.7% to 12% of total U.S. electricity consumption [3] Financial Performance - Utility companies generally experience consistent revenue growth and profitability, allowing them to enhance shareholder value through regular dividend payments [5] - NiSource has a market capitalization of $18.55 billion, while CenterPoint Energy has $23.16 billion [7] Growth Projections - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NiSource's 2025 earnings is $1.91 per share on revenues of $6.06 billion, indicating a year-over-year bottom-line increase of 9.1% and a top-line improvement of 11.1% [8] - CenterPoint Energy's 2025 earnings are estimated at $1.75 per share on revenues of $8.87 billion, reflecting year-over-year growth of 8% and 2.7% for bottom-line and top-line, respectively [8] Stock Performance - In the past year, NiSource's shares have risen 46.6%, while CenterPoint Energy's shares have increased by 26.3% [9] Debt and Financial Ratios - NiSource has a debt-to-capital ratio of 56.68%, and CenterPoint Energy has 66.28%, both lower than the industry average of 63.37% [10] - The times interest earned (TIE) ratio for NiSource is 2.9, and for CenterPoint Energy, it is 2.4, indicating sufficient financial flexibility to meet near-term interest obligations [11] Dividend Yield - NiSource's dividend yield is currently 2.85%, while CenterPoint Energy's is 2.47%, both exceeding the Zacks S&P 500 Composite's average of 1.3% [12] Investment Conclusion - Both NiSource and CenterPoint Energy are well-positioned for investment, with NiSource being favored due to better growth projections, debt management, TIE ratio, dividend yield, and price performance [13]

Core Points - CenterPoint Energy is taking precautionary measures in response to a Red Flag Warning issued for the Greater Houston area due to high wind gusts, low humidity, and elevated wildfire risk [1][3] - Approximately 1,000 workers are prepared to respond to potential outages caused by extreme weather conditions [1][5] - The company has communicated with around 330,000 customers in specific areas about the possibility of temporary safety outages [5] Company Actions - CenterPoint has conducted pre-inspections of electric and natural gas equipment and adjusted power line safety settings in higher-risk areas [1][3] - Key actions include inspecting power lines, clearing hazardous vegetation, and pre-positioning crews for quick response to outages [5] - The company is coordinating with local emergency partners and proactively sharing information with state and local leaders [5] Customer Communication - CenterPoint encourages customers to stay informed about weather conditions and to make safety plans, including during potential power outages [4] - Customers can enroll in the Power Alert Service to receive updates on outages and restoration times [6] - The company provides a cloud-based Outage Tracker for customers to view outages by county, city, and zip code [6]

Core Points - The National Weather Service has issued a "Fire Weather Watch" for large portions of Texas, including the Greater Houston area, indicating a risk of strong winds and fire danger on Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. [1] - CenterPoint Energy is actively monitoring weather conditions and taking precautionary measures to mitigate wildfire risks, including pre-inspections and adjusting power line safety settings [1][6] - The company is communicating with customers about potential outages due to extreme weather conditions and will notify them via its Power Alert Service [1][2] Company Actions - CenterPoint is prioritizing customer safety and preparing for extreme weather conditions that may impact its systems, despite the current fire risk being lower in its service area compared to other parts of Texas [2] - The company is inspecting power lines and natural gas facilities in areas of heightened fire risk, clearing hazardous vegetation, and adjusting safety settings on power lines [6] - Additional crews and contractors are being positioned to respond to any power outages or natural gas service interruptions that may occur [6] Customer Communication - CenterPoint encourages customers to stay informed about weather conditions and make safety plans, including during potential power outages [3] - Customers are urged to enroll in the Power Alert Service to receive updates on outages and restoration times [4] - The company provides updates through social media and its website, and customers can follow @CenterPoint_TX for the latest information [5]