Utilities sector: Investing in basic services that make life better

Dividends and stability for your portfolio.

Written byDebbie Carlson

Fact-checked byDoug Ashburn

Updated: Aug. 19, 2024

Extension cable plugged into outlet; dripping faucet.

We just expect them to work.

When you lift the handle on a faucet, flip on a light switch, or set your home’s thermostat, you expect water to flow, lights to illuminate your home, and the heat or AC to kick on. All of those functions are provided by utilities, which most of us take for granted—the basic services offered by electric, gas, and water companies.

The utilities sector is one of the smaller of the 11 Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) sectors in the stock market. With a market capitalization of $1.4 trillion, utilities puts its weight in the S&P 500 at 2.3% as of mid-2024. Utilities, along with the materials and real estate sectors—the other two low-weighted components—sometimes take turns holding the bottom spot in terms of weighting.

Key Points

The utilities sector includes electric, gas, and water companies.
These for-profit companies operate in public infrastructure services and are heavily regulated.
Utilities companies offer investors higher dividend payments to offset slow growth.

Although the utilities sector is a fraction of the size of, say, information technology, it can be an important component of a diversified portfolio. These are stable companies without much growth; however, their steady nature is desirable for investors who want consistent returns. Utility companies often pay solid dividends quarter after quarter. Their consistency is an attribute during economic downturns, as utility stocks are less likely to lose money compared to growth-oriented technology companies.

What is the utilities sector?

The utilities sector includes companies that provide essential services such as electricity, natural gas, and water. Because of their essential nature, utilities companies typically operate in highly regulated environments.

There are 31 utilities sector companies in the S&P 500 (SPX); the top 10 biggest constituents make up 59% of the sector. It’s broken down into five industries:

Electric utilities. These companies make up most of the utilities sector at 65.7%. They generate, transmit, and distribute electricity; among the biggest are American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) and PG&E Corporation (PCG).
Multi-utilities. At 26.7%, this is the second largest industry in the utilities sector. These firms provide a combination of utility services, such as electricity and gas or water and electricity, and offer integrated services to their customers. Examples include Eversource Energy (ES), which distributes electricity, natural gas, and water, and Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED), a provider of electricity, steam, and natural gas.
Independent power and renewable electricity producers. This segment makes up 3.3% of the sector. Independent power producers own or operate facilities that generate electricity but aren’t considered electric utilities. They often sell electricity on the open market. One of the biggest IPPs, as these companies are known, is NRG Energy Inc. (NRG). Renewable electricity producers are categorized within IPPs, and they are growing. This subindustry focuses on generating energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. The biggest is NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE).
Water utilities. As the name implies, companies in this industry provide water and wastewater services; they make up 2.6% of the sector. American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) is the largest and most geographically diverse company of its kind.
Gas utilities. These companies are involved in the transmission and distribution of natural gas and make up the smallest part of the sector at 1.8%. (Many utilities offer natural gas distribution with other energy services, and thus are part of the energy sector.) Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) is one of the largest natural-gas-only distributors in the U.S.

What makes the utilities sector unique

If you like the idea of owning stocks, but the big price swings in high-flying growth shares make you queasy, utilities might offer the stability you seek:

Stable and consistent revenue. Many utility companies have been around for decades. These companies provide essential services, so demand is usually consistent (“inelastic” in economist-speak). With demand unlikely to change in the short term, returns are fairly predictable, which is appealing to investors who want steady returns.
Considered a value play. On the growth-versus-value meter, the sector’s low growth and stability put it squarely in value territory. As of mid-2024, using three common metrics to measure value, utilities have a 1.9 price-to-book value, an 18.4 price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, and a 2.4 price-to-sales ratio. Those results compare with the broader S&P 500, which has a 4.4 price-to-book value, a 21.1 P/E ratio, and a price-to-sales ratio of 2.6.
Pay high dividends. When a company doesn’t offer strong growth, it often entices investors with fat dividends instead. Utilities are sometimes referred to as “bond proxies,” as their dividends can rival some bond yields. The S&P 500 Utilities index as a whole has an indicated dividend yield of 3.3% as of mid-2024, compared to the broader S&P 500 indicated dividend yield of 1.4%.
Highly regulated. Utility companies operate in a highly regulated industry, so changing governmental regulations can have a significant impact on their profitability and operations. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 pushed for increases in renewable energy consumption. As a result, many more electric utilities are adding solar, wind, and other clean energy that reduces carbon emissions. Investors need to be aware of changes in policy, especially as environmental standards tighten.

Have you started saving toward retirement? If so, great! But how do you decide what to invest in?

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Key considerations for investors

Utility investors should keep potential risks in mind, in addition to potential rewards:

Subject to strict government oversight. Many utilities operate as a monopoly in their regions. This can give them certainty and pricing power, but the trade-off is often a high level of regulatory oversight, which may limit how often utilities can raise prices.
High capital expenditures. As infrastructure investments, utilities must continually invest in upgrades for equipment and other large-scale projects such as pipelines, power plants, solar panels, or water-treatment facilities.
Interest rate sensitivity. Changes in interest rates can affect utilities. Many carry debt because they are capital-intensive companies; high interest rates make it more costly to improve infrastructure. Plus, high interest rates can make the dividend payments offered by utilities less attractive if safer bond investments also offer high yields.
Economic sensitivity. During recessions and market downturns, utilities can become attractive because of users’ consistent demand. During market rallies and strong economic times, utility stocks will lag growth stocks.
Dividends aren’t guaranteed. A juicy dividend is attractive, but investors need to know if the payout is sustainable. Review the company’s payout ratio, cash-flow stability, and debt levels to get a clear picture of the utility’s overall health.

The bottom line

Utility companies make our daily life easier, to the point that we take them for granted. If you’re looking for an investment that you can take for granted (to some degree—all investments carry a level of risk and no dividend is guaranteed), you might look to the utilities sector for its historically consistent dividends and smooth returns.

Just be aware that the sector operates under strict government regulation and must make ongoing, capital-intensive upgrades to its infrastructure. Changes in interest rates can also affect a utility company’s profitability.

References

S&P 500 Utilities | spglobal.com