ONE Gas (OGS) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.48 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.34 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +4.04%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this natural gas distribution would post earnings of $0.44 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.44, delivering no surprise.Over the last four quarters, the company h ...

Company Overview - New Jersey Resources (NJR) is part of the Utilities sector, which consists of 107 individual stocks and ranks 6 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - NJR currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook based on earnings estimates and revisions [3] Performance Metrics - NJR's full-year earnings consensus estimate has increased by 7.1% over the past quarter, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [4] - The stock has returned approximately 14.6% year-to-date, outperforming the average gain of 7.5% for the Utilities group [4] Industry Context - NJR belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry, which includes 14 stocks and ranks 87 in the Zacks Industry Rank; this industry has seen an average gain of 5% this year [6] - In contrast, another Utilities stock, Tele2 (TLTZY), has returned 23.3% year-to-date and is part of the Wireline Non-US industry, which ranks 214 and has declined by 1.4% this year [5][6] Investment Outlook - Both New Jersey Resources and Tele2 are highlighted as stocks to watch for continued solid performance in the Utilities sector [7]

Core Viewpoint - MDU Resources reported quarterly earnings of $0.37 per share, matching the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and showing an increase from $0.34 per share a year ago, with an earnings surprise of +1.37% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $534 million for the quarter ended December 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.61%, and a slight decrease from year-ago revenues of $535.5 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, MDU Resources has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times, but has not beaten consensus revenue estimates during the same period [2] Stock Performance - MDU Resources shares have increased approximately 7.7% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500, which gained 0.5% [3] Future Outlook - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, with current consensus EPS estimates at $0.41 on $680 million in revenues for the upcoming quarter, and $1.02 on $1.99 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year [7] - The estimate revisions trend for MDU Resources was favorable ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for the stock, indicating expected outperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which MDU Resources belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 38% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that the industry's outlook can significantly impact stock performance [8]

Core Viewpoint - UGI reported quarterly earnings of $1.26 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.50 per share, representing a year-over-year decrease from $1.37 per share [1]. Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $2.08 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, which was 2.08% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and slightly above the year-ago revenues of $2.03 billion [2]. - Over the last four quarters, UGI has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times but has not beaten consensus revenue estimates during the same period [2]. Stock Performance - UGI shares have increased approximately 6.9% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.1% [3]. - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance in the near future [6]. Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.34 on revenues of $3.18 billion, while for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $3.10 on revenues of $8.32 billion [7]. - The trend of estimate revisions for UGI was unfavorable prior to the earnings release, which may impact future stock movements [6]. Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which UGI belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 32% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8]. - Sempra, another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.13 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 24.7% [9].

Core Viewpoint - Atmos Energy (ATO) reported quarterly earnings of $2.44 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.41 per share, and showing an increase from $2.23 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +1.46% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $1.34 billion for the quarter ended December 2025, which was 6.45% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate, compared to $1.18 billion in revenues from the same quarter last year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Atmos has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times but has only topped consensus revenue estimates once [2] Stock Performance - Atmos shares have decreased by approximately 0.7% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 1.9% [3] - The current Zacks Rank for Atmos is 3 (Hold), indicating that the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $3.28, with expected revenues of $2.22 billion, and for the current fiscal year, the estimate is $8.08 on revenues of $5.61 billion [7] - The trend of estimate revisions for Atmos was mixed ahead of the earnings release, which could change following the recent report [6] Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which Atmos belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 30% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stock performance [8] - Another company in the same industry, Sempra (SRE), is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.13 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of -24.7% [9]

Core Viewpoint - Sempra (SRE) is positioned well to continue its trend of beating earnings estimates in the upcoming quarterly report, supported by a solid history of performance in the Zacks Utility - Gas Distribution industry [1]. Earnings Performance - Sempra has consistently beaten earnings estimates, with an average surprise of 13.29% over the last two quarters [2]. - In the last reported quarter, Sempra achieved earnings of $1.11 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.93 per share, resulting in a surprise of 19.35% [3]. - For the previous quarter, the company was expected to report earnings of $0.83 per share but delivered $0.89 per share, yielding a surprise of 7.23% [3]. Earnings Estimates and Predictions - Recent favorable changes in earnings estimates for Sempra have been noted, with a positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) indicating a strong likelihood of an earnings beat [6]. - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have historically produced a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, suggesting a high probability of beating consensus estimates [7]. - Sempra currently has an Earnings ESP of +4.73%, indicating that analysts are optimistic about the company's earnings prospects [9]. Importance of Earnings ESP - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the Most Accurate Estimate reflecting the latest analyst revisions [8]. - A positive Earnings ESP combined with a Zacks Rank of 3 suggests that another earnings beat is likely, although a negative Earnings ESP does not necessarily indicate an earnings miss [9].

Core Insights - Spire reported quarterly earnings of $1.77 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.62 per share, and showing an increase from $1.34 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +9.43% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $762.2 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.00%, compared to $669.1 million in the same quarter last year [2] Earnings Performance - Over the last four quarters, Spire has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $3.78 on revenues of $1.04 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $5.30 on revenues of $2.47 billion [7] Market Position - Spire shares have increased by approximately 3.2% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.9% [3] - The Zacks Industry Rank for Utility - Gas Distribution is currently in the bottom 30% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for the sector [8] Future Outlook - The sustainability of Spire's stock price movement will depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the trends in earnings estimate revisions [3][4] - The estimate revisions trend for Spire was mixed ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, suggesting it is expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6]

Core Insights - New Jersey Resources (NJR) reported quarterly earnings of $1.17 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.95 per share, but down from $1.29 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +23.16% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $604.85 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 17.21% and up from $488.36 million year-over-year [2] - NJR has outperformed the S&P 500 with a 7.3% increase since the beginning of the year compared to the S&P 500's gain of 1.4% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.58 on revenues of $890.72 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.14 on revenues of $2.25 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for NJR was unfavorable prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Utility - Gas Distribution industry, to which NJR belongs, is currently in the top 40% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8] - UGI, another company in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.42 per share, reflecting a year-over-year change of +3.7%, with revenues anticipated to be $2.13 billion, up 4.8% from the previous year [9][10]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are evaluating ONE Gas (OGS) and MDU Resources (MDU) to determine which stock offers better value for investment opportunities in the Utility - Gas Distribution sector [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Estimates - ONE Gas has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while MDU Resources has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting a less favorable earnings outlook [3] - The Zacks Rank system emphasizes companies with positive earnings estimate revisions, making OGS a more attractive option for investors seeking growth [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - OGS has a forward P/E ratio of 16.33, compared to MDU's forward P/E of 19.89, indicating that OGS may be undervalued relative to MDU [5] - The PEG ratio for OGS is 2.45, while MDU's PEG ratio is 2.63, suggesting that OGS has a more favorable earnings growth outlook relative to its price [5] - OGS has a P/B ratio of 1.45, slightly lower than MDU's P/B of 1.48, further supporting the argument that OGS is a better value investment [6] Group 3: Value Grades - OGS has been assigned a Value grade of B, while MDU has a Value grade of C, indicating that OGS is perceived as a more attractive investment based on traditional valuation metrics [6]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are evaluating which stock presents a better value opportunity between Spire (SR) and Atmos Energy (ATO) in the Utility - Gas Distribution sector [1] Group 1: Valuation Metrics - Both Spire and Atmos Energy currently hold a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating positive earnings estimate revisions for both companies [3] - Spire has a forward P/E ratio of 15.68, while Atmos Energy has a forward P/E of 20.80, suggesting Spire may be undervalued compared to Atmos Energy [5] - The PEG ratio for Spire is 1.49, compared to Atmos Energy's PEG ratio of 2.61, indicating Spire's earnings growth is more favorably priced [5] - Spire's P/B ratio is 1.55, while Atmos Energy's P/B ratio is 1.97, further supporting the notion that Spire is a more attractive value option [6] Group 2: Value Grades - Based on various valuation metrics, Spire holds a Value grade of B, whereas Atmos Energy has a Value grade of D, highlighting Spire as the superior value option [6]