ST. LOUIS, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Electric Company, doing business as Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE), announced today the pricing of a public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of 5.25% first mortgage bonds due 2035 at 99.975% of their principal amount. The transaction is expected to close on April 4, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Ameren Missouri intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay short ...

Core Viewpoint - The current market environment, particularly the Nasdaq Composite's drop of over 10%, has heightened investor fear, prompting a search for safer investment options [1]. Group 1: PepsiCo - PepsiCo is a major player in consumer staples, particularly in salty snacks and beverages, but has faced poor stock performance recently [3]. - For 2024, PepsiCo's organic revenue is projected to grow by 2%, with adjusted earnings expected to rise by 9%. For 2025, management anticipates low single-digit organic growth and mid-single-digit earnings growth [4]. - Despite these challenges, PepsiCo's dividend yield remains historically high at approximately 3.5%, making it an attractive option for investors seeking stability [5]. Group 2: Enterprise Products Partners - Enterprise Products Partners operates in the midstream segment of the energy sector, which is less volatile compared to upstream and downstream segments [6]. - The company generates revenue by charging fees for the use of its infrastructure, making it less sensitive to commodity price fluctuations and maintaining robust demand even during economic downturns [7]. - Enterprise has increased its distribution for 26 consecutive years, has an investment-grade balance sheet, and its distributable income covers its distribution by 1.7 times, with a high yield of 6.4% [8]. Group 3: Black Hills Corporation - Black Hills Corporation is a regulated utility serving 1.35 million customers across several states, focusing on reliability and stability [10]. - The company has achieved Dividend King status due to its consistent dividend growth, with a current yield around 4.5% [10]. - Management targets long-term earnings growth of 4% to 6% annually, making it a low-risk investment option for those seeking stability in turbulent market conditions [11]. Group 4: General Investment Strategy - In light of market volatility, investors are encouraged to consider reliable income stocks like PepsiCo, Enterprise, and Black Hills, which have been undervalued and are gaining attention from Wall Street [13].

Financial Performance & Guidance - Avista Utilities' year-to-date earnings increased nearly 5 percent from 2023[8] - The company initiates consolidated earnings guidance with a range of $2.52 to $2.72 per diluted share for 2025[8] - Avista Utilities provides earnings guidance of $2.43 to $2.61 per share for 2025[28] - AEL&P provides earnings guidance of $0.09 to $0.11 per share for 2025[28] Regulatory Updates - Washington: New rates effective 1/1/2025, including a base electric revenue increase of $11.9 million (2%) in year 1 and $68.9 million ($44.5 million net) (11.6%) in year 2, and a base gas revenue increase of $14.2 million (11.2%) in year 1 and $4.0 million (2.8%) in year 2[17, 19] - Idaho: Proposed base electric revenue increase of $43 million (14.4%) in year 1 and $17.7 million (5.2%) in year 2, and a proposed base gas revenue increase of $8.8 million (5.2%) in year 1 and $1 million (1%) in year 2, with new rates effective in September 2025[20] - Alaska: Rate increase of 6.0% approved[18, 20] Capital Expenditure & Dividend - Avista Utilities expects capital spending between 2025-2029 to be $525 million, $575 million, $600 million, $625 million, and $650 million respectively[22] - The company expects dividend growth to be less than earnings growth until it reaches its target payout range of 65-75%[15, 14] Balance Sheet & Liquidity - The company expects long-term debt in 2025 to be $120 million and equity to be $80 million[26] - As of December 31, 2024, the company has $342 million in borrowings outstanding, $17 million in letters of credit outstanding, and $191 million in available liquidity[26]