"This is not ordinarily a time to buy utilities, given the economic recovery and the associated risk of higher inflation and interest rates," says Hugh Wynne, the utility analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. "But utility stocks may already have factored in the threat of higher rates as well as the risk of increased taxes on dividends when the Bush tax cuts expire in 2011. You shouldn't assume they will underperform." Dividends are now taxed at a favorable rate of 15%. Historically, the bulk of utility returns have come from dividends. Wynne likes PG&E (PCG) and Edison International (EIX). To those who argue that utilities will underperform in a market rally, he and others counter that this already has happened.

Investors looking to "Obama-proof" their portfolios need to own Edison International (EIX), a utility that may escape the wrath of the president's new cap-and-trade initiative.

Three of the Dow utilities' 15 members -- Dominion Resources (D), Edison International (EIX) and Exelon (EXC) -- hiked their payouts. However, the pay dates for Dominion and Edison are in the current quarter.

1.64%

Edison International is the parent company of three subsidiaries: Southern California Edison, Southern CA's largest electric utility, which benefits from utility-friendly state regulation; Edison Mission Energy, a network of low-cost merchant generating plants in the midwest that generate more than half the company's profits; and Edison Capital, which invests in renewable energy and other tax-efficient investments.

Goldman said it is downgrading Edison International (EIX) to Neutral from Buy based on valuation and recent strong performance. Maintain positive view of nuclear power industry in light of upcoming legislation, but prefer EXC.

another great solar stock

in my 401k fund..have made MUCH money the last five years!!!

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Good growth, low PE, 3% div.