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Investors with an interest in Utility - Gas Distribution stocks have likely encountered both Southwest Gas (SWX) and Atmos Energy (ATO) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, w ...

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Southwest Gas (SWX) . Shares have lost about 2.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Southwest Gas due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It t ...

The utilities sector has historically doubled up as a safe-haven option for investors during recessions and economic downturns because of its reputation for rewarding shareholders with dividends. Similarly, they fall out of favor during times of economic growth, with growth stocks driving the markets.Utility stocks are very slightly affected, if at all, by market volatility because of their intrinsic defensive nature. They protect investments when the goings are not good. Whatever the state of the economy, ...

Southwest Gas (SWX) makes strategic investments to further strengthen its infrastructure and boost operations. The company is also gaining from consistent customer additions. Given its earnings growth opportunities and better debt management, SWX is 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.SWX’ Growth Projections & Surprise HistoryThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 earnings per share (EPS) ...

Earnings Conference Call Full Year 2024 Results February 26, 2025 Safe Harbor Statement Forward-Looking Statements Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions which we believe are reasonable, based on current expectations and projections about future events and industry conditions and trends affecting our business. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to our expectations and predictions are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that, among other things, could cause ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility achieved a record annual operating margin performance and a return on equity over 8% for the second consecutive year [10] - Utility net income is expected to be in the range of $265 million to $275 million for 2025, driven by margin improvements and cost management efforts [11][51] - Utility operating margin increased by $72.5 million in 2024 compared to 2023, primarily due to $66 million of increased rate relief [37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility saw customer growth with approximately 41,000 new meter sets added in the last twelve months [18] - The utility's operating margin improvement was partially offset by lower regulatory amortization and out-of-period adjusting entries related to net cost of gas sold [39] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Economic activity and demand for natural gas service remain strong, with significant in-migration driving customer growth [11][28] - Population growth projections for Arizona and Nevada are expected to outpace the national average over the next five years, translating to more meter sets for residential and small commercial customers [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on becoming a premier fully regulated natural gas utility and is advancing its regulatory strategy [8] - Plans for robust capital spending are driven by economic activity in service territories, with expected investments of about $4.3 billion over the next five years [29][53] - The company remains committed to separating Century and is evaluating market conditions for executing disposition transactions [13][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's momentum heading into 2025, with expectations for net income growth driven by regulatory strategy and cost management [11][50] - The management highlighted the importance of regulatory relationships and operational excellence in achieving future growth [55] Other Important Information - The company has over $360 million of cash on hand, enabling it to honor commitments and execute its 2025 strategy [19] - The company plans to maintain a competitive dividend in 2025 while targeting an investment-grade balance sheet [45][54] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is there a potential for more linear growth with the formula rates in Arizona? - Management indicated that under the current regulatory structure, growth is nonlinear, but a formula rate could lead to more linear growth in the future [61] Question: How do market conditions affect the timing of Century's separation? - Management is monitoring market conditions and assessing options for separation, emphasizing that it is not limited to price considerations [63][66] Question: Does the updated utility net income CAGR assume any impact from the pending SIM mechanism? - The utility net income CAGR does not include the SIM tracker or any pending regulatory filings [82] Question: What are the next steps regarding the formula rate plan? - Management is comfortable with the direction of the formula rate plan and is monitoring other utilities' filings for insights [90] Question: Will favorable regulatory outcomes improve earned ROEs in the future? - Management expects that favorable regulatory outcomes, such as a tracker or formula rate, would lead to improved earned ROEs [92]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility achieved record annual operating margin performance and a return on equity over 8% for the second consecutive year [10] - Utility net income is expected to be in the range of $265 million to $275 million for 2025, driven by margin improvements and cost management efforts [11][51] - Utility operating margin increased by $72.5 million in 2024 compared to 2023, primarily due to $66 million of increased rate relief [37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility saw customer growth with approximately 41,000 new meter sets added in the last twelve months [18] - The utility's operating margin improvement was partially offset by higher interest expenses and lower other income [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Economic activity and demand for natural gas service remain strong, with significant in-migration driving customer growth [27] - Population growth projections for Arizona and Nevada are expected to outpace the national average over the next five years [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on becoming a premier fully regulated natural gas utility and is advancing its regulatory strategy [8] - Plans for robust capital spending are driven by economic activity in service territories, with expected investments of about $4.3 billion over the next five years [29][53] - The company is committed to separating Century and is evaluating market conditions for executing disposition transactions [13][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving regulatory and operational priorities in 2025, despite challenges [16] - The company anticipates that regulatory efforts and a strong regional economic outlook will drive results above 2024 levels [51] Other Important Information - The company has over $360 million in cash on hand, enabling it to honor commitments and execute its 2025 strategy [19] - The company plans to maintain a competitive dividend in 2025 while targeting an investment-grade balance sheet [45][54] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is there a potential for more linear growth with formula rates in Arizona? - Management indicated that under the current regulatory structure, growth is nonlinear, but a formula rate could lead to more linear growth in the future [61] Question: How do market conditions affect the timing of Century's separation? - Management is monitoring market conditions and assessing options for separation, emphasizing that it is not limited to price considerations [63][66] Question: Does the updated utility net income CAGR assume any impact from the pending SIM mechanism? - The updated utility net income CAGR does not include the SIM tracker or any pending regulatory filings [82] Question: What are the next steps regarding the formula rate plan? - Management is comfortable with the timing and is monitoring other utilities' filings to inform their approach for future cases [89] Question: Will favorable regulatory outcomes improve earned ROE? - Management expects that favorable regulatory outcomes, such as a tracker or formula rate, would lead to improvements in earned ROE [92]

Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. (SWX) recorded fourth-quarter 2024 operating earnings of $1.39 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 by 20.9%. The bottom line also increased 15.8% from the year-ago quarter’s $1.20.Find the latest earnings estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.SWX reported earnings of $3.16 for 2024 compared with $3.64 per share in 2023, which reflects a year-over-year decrease of 13.2%.SWX’s Total Revenues Operating revenues totaled $1.270 billion, which misse ...

Core Viewpoint - Southwest Gas reported quarterly earnings of $1.39 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.15 per share, and showing an increase from $1.13 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 20.87% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.27 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, which was 7.46% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and a decrease from $1.37 billion in the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Southwest Gas has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates only once [2] Stock Performance - Southwest Gas shares have increased approximately 9.3% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.3% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating expectations for it to outperform the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.90 on revenues of $1.71 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.69 on revenues of $5.41 billion [7] - The trend for estimate revisions ahead of the earnings release has been favorable, which may influence future stock movements [6][8] Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which Southwest Gas belongs, is currently ranked in the top 14% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a positive outlook for stocks within this sector [8]