Core Insights - The Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR) and the iShares SP Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (IJJ) provide diversified access to U.S. value stocks but differ in their targeted company sizes [1][7]. Cost & Size Comparison - VBR has a lower expense ratio of 0.05% compared to IJJ's 0.18%, making it more appealing for cost-conscious investors [3]. - VBR's one-year return is 13.67%, while IJJ's is 11.20%, indicating better short-term performance for VBR [3]. - VBR has a higher dividend yield of 1.85% compared to IJJ's 1.72% [3]. - VBR's assets under management (AUM) stand at $62 billion, significantly higher than IJJ's $8 billion [3]. Performance & Risk Comparison - Over the past five years, VBR experienced a maximum drawdown of -24.19%, while IJJ had a slightly lower drawdown of -22.67% [4]. - The growth of a $1,000 investment over five years is $1,464 for VBR and $1,497 for IJJ, showing IJJ's slight edge in long-term growth [4]. Portfolio Composition - IJJ tracks 305 mid-cap U.S. companies with a significant focus on financial services (23% of assets), industrials, and consumer cyclicals [5]. - VBR includes a broader selection of 845 small-cap value stocks, with the highest allocations in financial services (19%), industrials (18%), and consumer cyclicals (13%) [6]. - The largest holdings in IJJ are US Foods, Reliance, and Toll Brothers, each around 1% of assets, while VBR's top names (NRG Energy, EMCOR Group, Atmos Energy) account for less than 0.75% of assets, indicating greater diversification [6]. Investment Implications - VBR targets small-cap stocks, which generally carry higher risk but offer greater growth potential, while IJJ focuses on mid-cap stocks, providing slightly more stability [7][10]. - VBR's broader portfolio with nearly three times as many stocks as IJJ helps reduce single-stock risk and mitigate volatility [9].

Core Viewpoint - Spire Inc. is positioned as a significant entity in the energy sector, particularly in natural gas distribution, facing competition from Atmos Energy and CenterPoint Energy [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - As of the latest update, Spire Inc.'s stock is valued at $83.93, reflecting a slight increase of $0.34 or 0.41% [2] - The stock has shown volatility over the past year, with a high of $91.11 and a low of $68.48 [2] - Morgan Stanley has set a price target of $93 for Spire Inc., indicating an 11.30% potential increase from its price of $83.56 [1] Group 2: Upcoming Events - Spire Inc. is scheduled to host a conference call and webcast on February 3, 2026, to announce its fiscal 2026 first-quarter financial results and earnings guidance [3] - A news statement will be released before the market opens, which will be accessible on the company's investor website [3] - The upcoming earnings call is expected to significantly influence investor sentiment and trading activity [4] Group 3: Market Position - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $4.96 billion, indicating a strong presence in the market [4] - The trading volume of 156,425 shares reflects investor interest and confidence in Spire's growth prospects [4]

Core Insights - The U.S. Consumer Price Index data for December indicates a year-over-year inflation rate of 2.7%, with utility gas services experiencing a significant increase of 10.8% [2][6] - The surge in utility gas prices is attributed to global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG), limited domestic supply, and increased production costs [3][4] - Atmos Energy, the largest natural gas-only utility in the U.S., has seen its stock gain 17% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 [6] Industry Overview - Utility gas prices are rising globally, with the European and UK benchmarks increasing by 25% and 26% respectively, while U.S. LNG futures have surged 17% amid extreme winter conditions [3][4] - The demand for LNG is further driven by the needs of AI data centers, which currently consume over 1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, with forecasts suggesting this could rise to between 4 Bcf/d and 8 Bcf/d by 2030 [4] Company Analysis - Atmos Energy is positioned to benefit from the rising utility gas prices, as indicated by its stock performance and potential dividend growth [6] - The company is likely to profit from the supply-demand gap in the natural gas market, making it an attractive option for investors [5]

Investment Rating - The industry view is rated as In-Line [7] Core Insights - The demand for data centers remains strong across multiple utility companies, with significant capital expenditure (capex) opportunities identified [2][3] - Regulatory environments in states like Missouri and Texas are improving, which is expected to support utility growth and infrastructure investments [2][3] - Long-term earnings per share (EPS) growth outlook for New Jersey Resources (NJR) is projected at 7-9%, supported by residential growth and active pipeline replacement programs [4] Summary by Company Ameren (AEE) - Active conversations with data centers and a recent tariff proposal filed in Missouri to ensure regulatory comfort for large loads [2] - Equity needs are met through 2026, with manageable capital requirements following recent storms [2] CenterPoint Energy (CNP) - Continued strong demand for data centers and multiple capex opportunities, including significant projects in Texas [3] - Anticipated guidance refresh in September to reflect new capex opportunities [3] New Jersey Resources (NJR) - Confident in achieving 7-9% long-term EPS growth, with a quiet regulatory agenda expected after recent rate case conclusions [4] - Focus on utility-like earnings in unregulated businesses through stable pricing and long-term contracts [4] Other Companies - Duke Energy (DUK) has high confidence in its data center pipeline and is streamlining interconnection processes [10] - PPL Corp (PPL) is constructive on the regulatory backdrop in Kentucky and has not seen a slowdown in its data center pipeline [12] - Xcel Energy (XEL) has safe harbored renewables in its plans and is on track to achieve data center load growth [14] - Spire (SR) anticipates a potential settlement in its Missouri rate case, which could improve its earnings outlook [21][22]

For those looking to find strong Utilities stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Ameren (AEE) one of those stocks right now? 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.Ameren is one of 104 companies in the Utilities group. The Utilities group currently sits at #4 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measu ...