Analysts on Wall Street project that Ameren (AEE) will announce quarterly earnings of $0.77 per share in its forthcoming report, representing no change year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $2.09 billion, increasing 7.9% from the same quarter last year.Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted downward by 0.2% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.Before a comp ...

We came across a bullish thesis on Ameren Corporation on MaxDividends’s Substack by Serhio MaxDividends. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on AEE. Ameren Corporation's share was trading at $104.01 as of February 3rd. AEE’s trailing and forward P/E were 19.86 and 19.38, respectively according to Yahoo Finance. UBS Raises Edison International (EIX) Price Target to $70, Keeps Buy Rating Ameren Corporation (AEE) is a quietly essential regulated utility that powers millions of homes and bus ...

Wall Street expects flat earnings compared to the year-ago quarter on higher revenues when Ameren (AEE) reports results for the quarter ended December 2025. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on Februar ...

Economic Overview - Consumer confidence in the U.S. has dropped to 84.5 in January, a decline of 9.7 points from the previous month, marking a 12-year low [5] - The percentage of consumers who believe jobs are "plentiful" has decreased to 23.9%, the lowest since February 2021, while 20.8% of respondents find jobs "hard to find," the highest since February 2021 [6] - The labor market has been struggling, with the unemployment rate remaining at 4.4% in December, indicating potential further increases in January due to low consumer confidence [7] - The Federal Reserve has kept interest rates unchanged amid high inflation, leading to uncertainty regarding its near-term monetary policy [8] Investment Recommendations - Investors are advised to focus on low-beta, defensive stocks from the utility, healthcare, and consumer staples sectors to mitigate market volatility [3][4] - Recommended stocks include Ameren Corporation (AEE), Fortis, Inc. (FTS), Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH), and J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF), all of which have a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) [3][10] Company Profiles - **Ameren Corporation (AEE)**: A utility company serving nearly 2.4 million electric and over 900,000 natural gas customers, with an expected earnings growth rate of 8.2% for the current year and a dividend yield of 2.75% [9][11] - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Engaged in electric and gas utility business, with an expected earnings growth rate of 5.4% for the current year and a dividend yield of 3.42% [12][13] - **Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH)**: A major healthcare services provider serving nearly 90% of U.S. hospitals, with an expected earnings growth rate of 21.5% for the current year and a dividend yield of 0.95% [14][15] - **J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF)**: Manufacturer and distributor of branded snack foods, with an expected earnings growth rate of 4.5% for the current year and a dividend yield of 3.37% [16][17]

Core Insights - The article discusses the impact of ongoing inflation on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy and suggests focusing on low-beta defensive stocks to navigate market volatility [2][3][10] Economic Context - Inflation has risen, with the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index increasing by 2.8% year-over-year in November, moving further away from the Federal Reserve's 2% target [6][8] - Personal income growth has slowed, with increases of 0.1% in October and 0.3% in November, below analysts' expectations [9] Investment Recommendations - Investors are advised to consider low-beta defensive stocks, particularly in the utility and consumer staples sectors, to mitigate market fluctuations [4][5] - Featured stocks include: - **Ameren Corp. (AEE)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 8.2%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.58, dividend yield of 2.78% [12][13] - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 4.2%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.50, dividend yield of 3.46% [14][15] - **ONE Gas, Inc. (OGS)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 11.8%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.81, dividend yield of 3.47% [16] - **Hormel Foods Corp. (HRL)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 6.6%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.33, dividend yield of 4.76% [17] - **J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 4.5%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.34, dividend yield of 3.43% [18][19]

Industry Overview - The Utility-Electric Power industry is focused on generating and delivering electricity to millions of customers in the U.S., with a strong shift towards cleaner fuel sources and reduced carbon emissions, supported by government initiatives [1] - The industry is investing in grid modernization and infrastructure improvements to enhance resilience against natural disasters like hurricanes, which helps in reducing outages and restoring power more quickly [1] Trends Impacting the Industry - Interest rates have decreased from a range of 5.25-5.50% to 3.75-4.00%, which is beneficial for utilities that rely on capital markets for financing infrastructure investments [4] - The share of U.S. electricity generation from renewables is projected to rise from 23% in 2025 to 28% in 2027, driven by growth in solar and wind capacity, aided by the Inflation Reduction Act [5] - Electricity consumption in the U.S. is expected to increase by 1% in 2026 and 3% in 2027, with prices for electricity also projected to rise across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors [6] Industry Performance - The Utility-Electric Power industry has outperformed the S&P 500 and its own sector over the past 12 months, gaining 24.2% compared to the sector's 21% and the S&P 500's 16.5% [10] - The industry's Zacks Rank is 87, placing it in the top 36% of over 244 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [8][9] Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at an EV/EBITDA multiple of 13.24X, compared to the S&P 500's 18.9X and the Utility sector's 12.48X, with historical trading ranges between 12.27X and 21.31X over the past five years [13] Investment Opportunities - NextEra Energy plans to invest over $74 billion through 2029 to modernize infrastructure and increase clean energy generation, with a long-term earnings growth forecast of 8.08% and a dividend yield of 2.67% [19][20] - Ameren Corporation expects to deploy over $26.3 billion in capital from 2025 to 2029, with a long-term earnings growth estimate of 8.52% and a dividend yield of 2.78% [23][24] - Alliant Energy anticipates long-term capital expenditures of $13.4 billion from 2026 to 2029, with a long-term earnings growth forecast of 7.15% and a dividend yield of 3.04% [27][28] - Pinnacle West Capital has a capital investment plan of $8 billion for 2026-2028, with a long-term earnings growth estimate of 3.56% and a dividend yield of 3.95% [31][32]

Core Insights - Investors are optimistic as the new year begins, with three consecutive years of double-digit returns in the market, leading to a perception among younger investors that the market consistently rises [1] Group 1 - The market has experienced three consecutive years of double-digit returns, indicating strong performance [1] - Younger investors may lack experience with market downturns, as they have primarily witnessed a rising market [1]

Market Overview - Volatility has returned to Wall Street, with major indexes giving up gains for the year due to uncertainty over the economy's health and fresh geopolitical tensions [1] - Investors are concerned about the economy's health, as consumer confidence fell to 89.1 in December, a decline of 3.8 points from November's reading of 92.9 [6] Defensive Stock Recommendations - Investors may want to focus on low-beta, defensive stocks, particularly from the utility sector, to cushion against market swings [2] - Recommended companies include: - **Ameren Corporation (AEE)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 8.2%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.58, and a dividend yield of 2.74% [8][10] - **Fortis, Inc. (FTS)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 3.8%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.50, and a dividend yield of 3.48% [12][10] - **Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PEG)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 9.8%, Zacks Rank 2, beta of 0.6, and a dividend yield of 3.17% [14][10] Company Profiles - **Ameren Corporation**: A utility company serving nearly 2.4 million electric and over 900,000 natural gas customers in Missouri and Illinois [7] - **Fortis, Inc.**: Engaged in electric and gas utility business, operating primarily in Canada, the U.S., and the Caribbean [11] - **Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated**: A diversified energy company with regulated electric and gas utility operations primarily in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. [13]

Core Viewpoint - Ameren Corporation will discuss its 2025 earnings and provide guidance for 2026 during a conference call scheduled for February 12, 2026 [1]. Company Overview - Ameren Corporation is based in St. Louis and serves 2.5 million electric customers and over 900,000 natural gas customers across a 64,000-square-mile area through its subsidiaries, Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois [3]. - Ameren Illinois offers electric transmission and distribution services as well as natural gas distribution services, while Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission, and distribution services along with natural gas distribution [3]. - Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois focuses on developing, owning, and operating rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. [3].

Core Insights - Ameren Corporation's operations in Missouri and Illinois generate over $20.7 billion in annual economic output according to a study by HR&A Advisors [1][2] Economic Impact - The study highlights that every dollar and job related to Ameren's operations generates additional leading-wage jobs, disposable income, and increased tax revenue for communities in the bi-state region [2][3] - Ameren's annual efforts to manage costs and streamline operational efficiency help mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, increasing spending power for residential and business customers [3] Job Creation and Investments - Technical assistance from Ameren led to the creation of 3,728 new jobs in 2025, with 73 economic development projects triggering $3.56 billion in capital investment [4] - In 2025, businesses in Ameren Missouri's service territory created 2,273 new jobs and invested $1.56 billion, while those in Ameren Illinois' territory created over 1,455 new jobs and invested $2 billion [4] Financial Contributions - Ameren supports 55,200 jobs through its annual economic activity and purchased $2.2 billion from in-state suppliers in Missouri and Illinois [6] - The company contributed $920 million in taxes to state and local governments and provided $10.6 million in philanthropic support for community needs [6] Recognition - Ameren was recognized as one of Business Facilities magazine's 2026 Top Utilities for Economic Development [5]