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Best utility stocks
Regulated utilities earn an allowed return on invested capital — growth comes from rate base, not from demand, until data centres changed the demand picture.
The screen: 5 US exchange-listed companies in Utilities, 5 of which pay a dividend. Size mix: 3 large-cap, 2 mid-cap.
What separates the winners from the losers here
- Rate case outcomes and allowed ROE
- Capex plan and how it is financed
- Data-centre load growth in the service territory
The full list
| Ticker | Company | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| NEE | NextEra Energy | Regulated Florida utility plus the largest US renewables developer. |
| DUK | Duke Energy | Regulated southeastern utility with steady rate-base growth. |
| SO | Southern Company | Regulated utility with new nuclear capacity in service. |
| VST | Vistra | Merchant generation levered to power prices and AI demand. |
| XEL | Xcel Energy | Midwest utility with a heavy wind build. |
Where to buy them
To hold these as real shares you need a stockbroker rather than a CFD provider. If you only want exposure to the price movement, a share CFD does that with leverage — and without ownership.
Compare every broker for US stocks →
Frequently asked questions
How many utility stocks are in this list?
5, drawn from our US exchange-listed universe and spread across 1 sector. 5 of them pay a dividend.
Is this a list of utility stocks to buy?
No. It is a screen — a defined, reproducible filter over a stated universe. A screen tells you which companies share a characteristic; it says nothing about whether the price you would pay today is a sensible one. Nothing here is investment advice.
What is the main risk with utility stocks?
Bond proxies: when long rates rise, these fall regardless of operating performance.
How do I actually buy these from outside the US?
You need a broker that accepts your country of residence and gives you access to US exchanges. To own the shares outright, that usually means an international stockbroker plus a W-8BEN form to claim your treaty rate on dividend withholding.
Screen definition reviewed August 2026. Universe: US exchange-listed securities tracked by InvestingTrading. This page is information, not investment advice.