Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q1 2025 were $1.05, an increase of nearly 11% compared to $0.95 in Q1 2024, affirming the company's full-year EPS guidance of 8% growth [7][12] - Consolidated reported earnings were $1.50 per share, up $0.10 per share versus the same period in 2024, with revenues higher by $0.44 per share due to authorized rate increases and acquisitions [13][14] - Operating costs increased by $0.15 per share, primarily due to employee-related costs and acquisition-related expenses [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved a constructive settlement in the general rate case in Missouri, with an annualized revenue increase of $63 million expected [15] - In Virginia, a settlement approved a $15 million annualized increase in water and wastewater revenues [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company continues to expect to grow its dividend at 7% to 9% per year, in line with its EPS growth target [11] - The total debt to capital ratio was 58%, within the target of less than 60%, with strong credit ratings affirmed by S&P and Moody's [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims for long-term earnings and dividend growth of 7% to 9%, driven by a capital investment program targeting approximately $3.3 billion in 2025 [10][22] - The company is focused on infrastructure investments, particularly in PFAS remediation and lead service line replacement, while maintaining a strong regulatory and operational execution [22][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to execute financial and operational plans, with no expected material impact from recent tariff-related announcements [20] - The company highlighted the need for significant investments in U.S. water infrastructure, estimating a total of $625 billion over the next twenty years [29] Other Important Information - The Board approved an increase in the quarterly cash dividend from $0.765 to $0.825 per share, marking an 8.2% increase [11] - The company is well-positioned for growth through acquisitions, with approximately 37,000 customer connections under agreement [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Thoughts on pulling forward 2026 equity issuance - Management stated there are no plans to pull forward equity issuance and will evaluate the market as needed [37] Question: Acquisition outlook under potential recession - Management expects a continuous flow of acquisition opportunities, potentially driven by recession or reduced federal funding [38] Question: Update on California rate case - Management did not disclose the percentage increase for the California rate case and confirmed a separate proceeding for cost of capital [43][44] Question: Update on California desalination project - Management confirmed that the last major permit approval was received, and they expect to break ground on the desalination project this year [49] Question: Legislative progress and opportunities - Management did not quantify the opportunities from legislative changes but noted they would help earned returns in each state [56]

Financial Performance & Guidance - The company anticipates adjusted EPS for fiscal year 2025 to be between $675 and $705, assuming a NYMEX price of $350 [58] - At a NYMEX price of $400, the adjusted EPS guidance for fiscal year 2025 is $705 to $735 [58] - The company projects a consolidated 3-year adjusted EPS CAGR greater than 10% from fiscal year 2024 to 2027 [36, 56] - Approximately $650 million was returned to shareholders in the last 3 years [44] Capital Allocation & Investments - Capital expenditure guidance for fiscal year 2025 is between $885 million and $960 million [63] - The company has an ongoing share repurchase program, with $200 million authorized in March 2024 [48] - As of March 31st, the company had purchased approximately $115 million worth of shares, totaling 19 million shares at an average price of approximately $59 per share [48] - The company has invested over $1 billion in safety since 2010 [16] Operational Highlights & Strategy - Seneca Resources' current net production is approximately 12 Bcf/day [21] - The Utility segment in New York has approximately 541000 customers [26] - The Utility segment in Pennsylvania has approximately 214000 customers [26] - The company has reduced methane emissions by 17% since 2020 [11]

Financial Performance & Guidance - The company reported Q1 2025 EPS of $1.05, driven by higher revenue on increased rate base and 2024 rate case outcomes[11] - The company is affirming its 2025 EPS guidance of $5.65-$5.75, representing 8% EPS growth at the midpoint over weather-normalized 2024 EPS of $5.27[14, 33] - The company successfully executed an $800 million long-term note offering in February with an annual interest rate of 5.250%, due in 2035[11, 56] - The company projects an annual 2025 cash dividend per share of $3.2475, with a total dividend payout ratio of 58%[19] Capital Investments & Rate Base - The company invested $518 million in infrastructure improvements and acquisitions in Q1 2025[11, 38] - The company estimates its rate base to be $22.4 billion as of March 31, 2025[38, 60] - The company plans to invest $36-$37 billion in its systems over the next ten years (2025-2034)[48] Regulatory & Legislative Updates - The company announced a dividend increase of 8.2% in April, aligning with its long-term target[11, 15] - The company has new rates effective in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, and California, and a constructive settlement filed in the Missouri rate case, reflecting an annualized revenue increase of $63 million compared to the revised request of $107 million[11, 26] - The company completed rate cases that will add $1 million in additional authorized revenue in Tennessee and $15 million in Virginia[27] Acquisitions & Growth - The company has approximately 37,400 customer connections under agreement across 18 acquisitions in 6 states, with a total value of $162 million[41] - The company closed 3 acquisitions in 3 states with approximately 2,150 customer connections[41, 69] - The company has an acquisition pipeline of more than 1.5 million connections[42, 48]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the uncertainty surrounding market volatility and the difficulty in predicting market bottoms, suggesting that even technical traders cannot accurately determine these points [1]. Group 1 - The focus is on providing high-quality and reliable dividend growth investment ideas aimed at building growing income for investors [1]. - The service highlights investments that are leaders within their industry, which are intended to offer stability and long-term wealth creation [1]. - There is an additional emphasis on strategies for writing options to further enhance investors' income [1]. Group 2 - Membership offers access to a portfolio, watchlist, and live chat, providing members with early insights into publications and exclusive articles not available elsewhere [2].

Core Viewpoint - ExxonMobil has significantly increased shareholder value over the past five years, with potential for continued growth through strategic investments and operational efficiencies [2][5][6]. Financial Performance - ExxonMobil's stock has more than doubled from an initial investment of $10,000 to $24,200, and tripled to nearly $30,600 when dividends are reinvested [3]. - The company saved over $10 billion in costs, grew earnings by over $15 billion, and added over $20 billion in cash flow from operating activities between 2019 and 2024 [5]. Shareholder Returns - ExxonMobil returned nearly $140 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the same period [5]. - The company has increased its dividend for 42 consecutive years, currently yielding 3.6% [7]. Growth Strategy - ExxonMobil acquired Pioneer Natural Resources in a $60 billion all-stock deal in 2023 and aims to reduce its break-even price to enhance profitability [6]. - The company projects an additional $20 billion in earnings and nearly $30 billion in cash flow from operating activities by 2030 [6].

Company Overview - Zoetis is a leading animal healthcare company that was spun off from Pfizer Animal Health in 2012, with annual sales of $9.3 billion [3] - The company develops and sells medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, genetic tests, and devices for treating livestock and pets [3] Industry Growth - The animal health market is projected to grow from $48 billion in 2023 to between $75 billion and $85 billion by 2033 [5] - Demand for animal protein is increasing due to global population growth, and younger generations are spending more on companion animals compared to older generations [4] Financial Performance - Zoetis has roughly doubled its annual sales over the past decade [5] - The company has consistently raised its dividend since paying its first one in 2013, with a current yield of just over 1.3% and an average annual growth rate of 21.4% over the past five years [6][7] Valuation Insights - The stock has historically traded at a high valuation, averaging a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of over 41 for the past decade [9] - Currently, Zoetis is at its lowest valuation on record at 27 times earnings, but it still has a PEG ratio of 2.7, indicating it may not be a bargain [12] Investment Considerations - The company is seen as a potential buy due to its strong market position and growth prospects, but investors are advised to consider gradual purchases in case of further market declines [12] - Zoetis's leadership in the expanding animal health field provides a durable growth runway for investors [8]

Core Viewpoint - Focusing on stocks with a history of consistent dividend growth can provide better long-term investment value compared to just current yield [1] Group 1: Walmart - Walmart has shown modest gains of 3% this year, indicating its stability as a retail stock during market turmoil [3] - The company announced a 13% increase in its dividend, extending its growth streak to 52 consecutive years [4] - Despite a lower yield of 1% compared to the S&P 500 average of 1.5%, Walmart's potential for continued dividend increases and growth in advertising and online business makes it a compelling long-term investment [4][5] Group 2: Johnson & Johnson - Johnson & Johnson has a longer dividend growth streak of 63 years and has seen a 9% increase in stock value this year [6] - The recent 4.8% dividend increase results in a yield of 3.3%, making it an attractive option for dividend investors [7] - Revenue has grown from $78.7 billion in 2021 to $88.8 billion in the past year, although there are uncertainties regarding talc powder lawsuits that could impact future dividends [7][8] Group 3: Procter & Gamble - Procter & Gamble boasts the longest dividend growth streak at 69 years, with a recent 5% increase announced in April [9] - The company reported sales of $84 billion in its most recent fiscal year, up from $82 billion the previous year, demonstrating stability through its 65 core brands [10] - Procter & Gamble's global presence and operational flexibility help mitigate risks related to tariffs, making it a safe long-term dividend stock [10][11]

Group 1 - The article discusses the strategy of investing in traditional dividend growth stocks during a market downturn, specifically mentioning companies like BlackRock, Merck, and PPG [1] - The focus is on building growing income for investors through high-quality and reliable dividend growth ideas, emphasizing stability and long-term wealth creation [1] - The service also offers ideas for writing options to further enhance investors' income [1] Group 2 - The article promotes a membership service that provides access to a portfolio, watchlist, and live chat, along with exclusive articles not available elsewhere [2]

Group 1 - The article promotes iREIT on Alpha as a source for in-depth research on various income alternatives including REITs, mREITs, Preferreds, BDCs, MLPs, and ETFs [1] - It highlights the positive feedback from users, with 438 testimonials, most of which are rated 5 stars, indicating high satisfaction [1] Group 2 - The article includes a disclosure from the analyst stating a beneficial long position in shares of specific companies, indicating a vested interest in the performance of ODFL, FIX, REXR, and DHR [2] - It clarifies that the opinions expressed are personal and not influenced by compensation from any company mentioned [2] Group 3 - The article emphasizes that past performance does not guarantee future results, indicating a cautionary note regarding investment outcomes [3] - It states that Seeking Alpha does not provide personalized investment advice and that the views expressed may not represent the platform as a whole [3]

Market Overview - In March 2025, U.S. markets experienced a significant downturn due to escalating trade tensions, leading to a drop of over 10% in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, officially entering correction territory [1] Investment Strategy - The focus is on building a portfolio centered around Dividend Growth, targeting both high and low-end yield spectrum, with an emphasis on Blue Chip stocks that have a long history of dividend payments [1]