July 15, 2025 04:47 AM GMT China Economics | Asia Pacific Buckle Up for 2H Growth Slowdown Key Takeaways Wider divergence between real and nominal GDP in 2Q: Real GDP still held up well at 5.2%Y (5.4% in 1Q) on front-loaded production and shipment to the US, as well as strong fiscal support to infrastructure and consumption trade-ins (~60% of annual govt. bond quota has been used in 1H). In contrast, nominal GDP slipped 0.7pp to 3.9%Y (the first <4%Y growth since Covid), given deepened deflation amid tariff ...

In the latest close session, Dominion Energy (D) was down 1.14% at $56.55. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.4%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 0.98%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.18%. Coming into today, shares of the energy company had gained 4.51% in the past month. In that same time, the Utilities sector lost 0.96%, while the S&P 500 gained 4.97%. Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Dominion Energy in its upcoming release. The company pla ...

In the latest close session, Vistra Corp. (VST) was down 1.77% at $191.37. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.4%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.98%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 0.18%. Coming into today, shares of the company had gained 9.94% in the past month. In that same time, the Utilities sector lost 0.96%, while the S&P 500 gained 4.97%. The upcoming earnings release of Vistra Corp. will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expecte ...

Textron is important because there's 180 million shares. Scott Donley, who runs it, has done a terrific job. And basically, they're going to earn a little over $6 uh this year on a non-GAAP basis, a little less than that on a GAP basis.And the stock has Bell Helicopter. They got replacements for the Blackhawk, but they also have CESA. And there's a backlog for the longitude and the latitude.And uh both of those will give them a tailwind, so to speak. And at $85 with that kind of earnings, that is an extraor ...

In terms of the content deals and the and the sports deals, what what do you like about the the what you called so-called financial engineering of the spin-offs. You know, we were talking earlier about how Netflix is what more than half, right. Half a trillion dollar stock.You look at that and all these media companies are trying to catch up. Company A spins off a division. The ETFs that own company A don't can't own company B.So if you focus on it and you figure out what the intrinsic value is, what is it ...

Investors in NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Aug. 15, 2025 $50 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mea ...

Company Overview - Essential Utilities (WTRG) is based in Bryn Mawr and operates in the Utilities sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 2.78% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.33 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.49%, which is higher than the Utility - Water Supply industry's yield of 2.53% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.52% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Essential Utilities is $1.30, reflecting a 2.8% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend five times, achieving an average annual increase of 6.53% [4] - The current payout ratio is 58%, indicating that the company paid out 58% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth and Investment Appeal - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projects earnings of $2.10 per share, which represents a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 6.60% [5] - Essential Utilities is considered an attractive investment opportunity due to its strong dividend yield and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting favorable market conditions for the stock [6]

Core Viewpoint - NextEra Energy (NEE) has shown strong operational performance and a growing customer base, leading to a rise in share price despite a decline in the broader utility sector [2][8]. Group 1: Stock Performance - NEE shares have increased by 0.8% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks Utility - Electric Power industry's decline of 2.1% [1][8]. - The stock is trading above its 50 and 200-day simple moving averages, indicating a bullish trend [6]. Group 2: Demand and Growth Factors - Florida's expanding economy, characterized by a robust job market and population inflows, is driving increased electricity demand, benefiting NEE's subsidiary, Florida Power & Light (FPL), which serves over 12 million customers [10]. - The merger with Gulf Power has strengthened NEE's customer base and operational efficiency, laying a foundation for long-term earnings growth [11]. Group 3: Financial Outlook - NEE expects its 2025 earnings per share to be in the range of $3.45-$3.70, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 7.29% and 7.95% for 2025 and 2026, respectively [15]. - The company plans to increase its dividend rate annually by 10% at least through 2026, with a current annual dividend of $2.27 per share and a yield of 3.05% [22]. Group 4: Capital and Investment Strategy - The Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts are expected to lower capital servicing costs for NEE, enhancing its financial outlook [12]. - NEE's Energy Resources subsidiary aims to add 36.5-46.5 GW of new renewable energy capacity from 2024 to 2027, with a current renewable backlog exceeding 28 GW [14]. Group 5: Valuation and Returns - NEE's trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) stands at 12.06%, surpassing the industry average of 10.41%, indicating efficient use of shareholders' equity [19]. - The company is currently trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 19.42, which is a premium compared to the industry average of 14.63 [23].

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve is maintaining a cautious stance regarding interest rate cuts due to concerns over inflationary pressures from tariffs imposed by President Trump, leading to uncertainty in the market [1][5][6]. Federal Reserve Meeting Insights - The minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting indicate that most officials are not in a hurry to implement an immediate rate cut, suggesting a wait-and-see approach [2][5]. - A delay in rate cuts could lead to increased volatility in the stock market [2][7]. - Most participants believe that any inflationary impact from tariffs will be temporary or modest, and there is no urgency for rate cuts in the near term [6]. Investment Recommendations - Given the current uncertainty, it is advisable to invest in defensive stocks from the utility and consumer staples sectors, which are considered safe havens [3][11]. - Recommended stocks include: - **Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.70, and a dividend yield of 2.27% [9]. - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 3.8%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.48, and a dividend yield of 3.81% [13]. - **Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 1.7%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.37, and a dividend yield of 2.27% [15]. - **The Coca-Cola Company (KO)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 3.1%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.45, and a dividend yield of 2.94% [17]. Stock Characteristics - The recommended stocks are characterized by low beta (greater than 0 but less than 1), high dividend yields, and favorable Zacks Ranks, making them attractive in the current market environment [4][11].

Core Viewpoint - NextEra Energy (NEE) is well-positioned to continue its earnings-beat streak in the upcoming report, having surpassed earnings estimates consistently in recent quarters [1][5]. Earnings Performance - In the last reported quarter, NextEra achieved earnings of $0.99 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.97 per share, resulting in a surprise of 2.06% [2]. - In the previous quarter, the company was expected to report earnings of $0.51 per share but delivered $0.53 per share, leading to a surprise of 3.92% [2]. Earnings Estimates and Predictions - There has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for NextEra, with a positive Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) indicating a strong likelihood of an earnings beat [5][8]. - The current Earnings ESP for NextEra stands at +1.98%, suggesting increased analyst optimism regarding its near-term earnings potential [8]. Zacks Rank and Success Rate - NextEra holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), which, when combined with a positive Earnings ESP, indicates a high probability of beating consensus estimates, with historical data showing nearly 70% success in such cases [6][8].