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        <title>Jersey Electricity plc (LSE:JEL) Share Price, History, &amp; News | The Motley Fool UK</title>
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	<title>Jersey Electricity plc (LSE:JEL) Share Price, History, &amp; News | The Motley Fool UK</title>
	<link>https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/</link>
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                                <title>In a chaotic world, could this be a perfect income stock?</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2025/03/10/in-a-chaotic-world-could-this-be-a-perfect-income-stock/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[James Beard]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Dividend Shares]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=1479616</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>Our writer’s struggling to find anything to dislike about this little-known energy company. Could it be an ultimate income stock for these difficult times?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2025/03/10/in-a-chaotic-world-could-this-be-a-perfect-income-stock/">In a chaotic world, could this be a perfect income stock?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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<p>Choosing income stocks has never been easy. And with so much global uncertainty it’s hard to know which sectors or companies are likely to maintain their earnings and dividends.</p>



<p>On paper, companies with an international footprint should do better as they&#8217;re less vulnerable to a slowdown in one particular territory. But with President Trump’s erratic approach to tariffs, it’s unclear who the short-term winners and losers will be in the global marketplace.</p>



<p>Then there’s the threat of competition. Due to clever technologies, traditional barriers of entry are now easier to overcome than previously.</p>



<p>And if that’s not enough to contend with, the arrival of artificial intelligence is threatening to disrupt traditional industries. Some companies may be left behind as they fail to embrace what has been described as the fourth industrial revolution.</p>



<p>For these reasons, picking dividend stocks can be a bewildering experience.</p>



<p>However, there’s one company that I recently came across that doesn’t have to cope with any of these problems. And because of its healthy dividend, I wonder whether <strong>Jersey Electricity</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE:JEL</a>) is a perfect income stock.</p>


<div class="tmf-chart-singleseries" data-title="Jersey Electricity Plc Price" data-ticker="LSE:JEL" data-range="5y" data-start-date="2015-03-10" data-end-date="" data-comparison-value=""></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-finger-in-many-pies">A finger in many pies</h2>



<p>When it comes to electricity, there’s not much the company doesn’t do.</p>



<p>It oversees the import of electricity from France, generates power using its solar arrays, operates the transmission and distribution networks across the island, provides metering services to domestic and commercial customers, sells white goods and provides consultancy services. Because it has no competitors for the supply of electricity, there’s less pressure to innovate.</p>



<p>Approximately 95% of the energy needs of Jersey are met by importing power from France. The interconnector between the two jurisdictions is jointly owned with Guernsey Electricity. The balance of electricity for the island is purchased from local generators, with a tiny proportion produced by the company itself. With no exports, it will never have to worry about Trump’s tariffs.</p>



<p>To my surprise, although having monopoly status, the company isn’t directly regulated. However, its activities are overseen by Jersey&#8217;s competition authority and the island&#8217;s government is the largest shareholder. But customers enjoy lower prices than their counterparts in mainland Britain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look">A closer look</h2>



<p>With limited opportunities to expand its customer base, its earnings will be heavily dependent on the amount charged by <strong>EDF</strong> in France. But Jersey Electricity knows that if its costs are rising, these can be passed on to customers via higher tariffs. </p>



<p>This certainty over earnings means dividend has been reliable. And as the chart below shows, it’s increased its payout for 13 consecutive years. The stock <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing-basics/how-to-value-shares/dividend-yield/">presently yields a very respectable 4.8%</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="752" height="452" src="https://www.fool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1479621" style="width:840px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><sup>Source: Investing.com / year-end = 30 September</sup></figcaption></figure>



<p>Based on its 2024 accounts, <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing-basics/how-to-value-shares/price-to-book-ratio/">its price-to-book ratio is only 0.2</a>. In theory, if the Jersey government wanted to buy the 38% of the company that it doesn&#8217;t own &#8212; assuming it offered a fair price &#8212; it would have to pay shareholders more than the current (10 March) value of their shares.</p>



<p>What&#8217;s not to like about this stock? Well, with a market cap of just over £50m, it lacks the financial firepower to withstand a major shock. And I can&#8217;t see its share price growing significantly. </p>



<p>But principally due to is lack of exposure to the outside world and its healthy dividend, I think it’s a stock that income investors could consider adding to their long term portfolios.</p>



<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2025/03/10/in-a-chaotic-world-could-this-be-a-perfect-income-stock/">In a chaotic world, could this be a perfect income stock?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Small-cap income: 3 of the best shares to buy for rising dividends</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2021/08/30/small-cap-income-3-of-the-best-stocks-to-buy-for-rising-dividends/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2021 07:27:03 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[Paul Summers]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dividend growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dividends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Passive income]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small-cap stocks]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=240633</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>Market minnow stocks don't have a reputation for being the best shares to buy for income, but Paul Summers would consider these three dividend hikers.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2021/08/30/small-cap-income-3-of-the-best-stocks-to-buy-for-rising-dividends/">Small-cap income: 3 of the best shares to buy for rising dividends</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ask investors to name dividend-paying companies and I suspect they&#8217;ll automatically think of the biggest stocks on the market. This is entirely reasonable given the <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2021/08/12/a-cheap-ftse-100-dividend-stock-id-buy-for-my-isa/">huge yields</a> offered by some FTSE 100 members. Based on my research, however, I think some small-cap stocks could be among the best shares to buy, at least based on their track records of raising payouts. </p>
<h2>Jersey Electric</h2>
<p>As its name suggests, market minnow <strong>Jersey Electric</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) supplies electricity to approximately 50,000 domestic and commercial customers on the island. Importantly, it&#8217;s the only company to do so, making it arguably as defensive as small-cap stocks come. </p>
<p>As a result of this, Jersey has shown itself to be an extremely consistent dividend raiser (+5% every year).  A total payout of 17.3p per share is expected in FY21. That&#8217;s a 2.9% yield; not massive but easily covered by profit.</p>
<p>As one might expect from a solid income payer, however, JEL&#8217;s share price performance has been adequate rather than explosive. The stock is up 44% in value since 2016. That&#8217;s clearly a whole lot less than other UK shares. So, a danger with JEL is that I wouldn&#8217;t get much in the way of capital growth. A valuation of 16 times earnings for a predictable utility stock isn&#8217;t exactly cheap either. </p>
<p>Still, that predictability might suit me down to the ground if income were a priority. If/when markets correct, I can be pretty confident that JEL will recover quickly. That&#8217;s exactly what happened last year. </p>
<h2>NWF </h2>
<p>Small-cap <strong>NWF Group</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-nwf/">LSE: NWF</a>) describes itself as a &#8220;<em>specialist distributor of fuel, food and feed across the UK</em>&#8220;. Like Jersey Electric, it&#8217;s also a brilliantly regular dividend hiker. This potentially makes it another one of the best shares to buy at this end of the market spectrum.</p>
<p>The company is down to return 7.34p per share to holders in FY22, at least according to analysts. That&#8217;s a yield of 3.43% at last Friday&#8217;s closing price. Some might say that&#8217;s not enough given that shares in minnows can be pretty volatile due to their illiquid nature. Margins are also wafer-thin.</p>
<p>In NWF&#8217;s defence, its annual payouts are usually very well covered by profits, making them pretty secure. That&#8217;s more than you can say for some far larger stocks these days. On top of this, NWT&#8217;s shares aren&#8217;t expensive relative to the wider market. I could pick some up today for 12 times forecast earnings. </p>
<h2>Wynnstay</h2>
<p>Agricultural product manufacturer <strong>Wynnstay</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-wyn/">LSE: WYN</a>) has shown itself to be admirably predictable when it comes to returning cash to its owners. We&#8217;re talking about an average hike of +5%, with the total sum always covered by profits.</p>
<p>A potential 15.2p per share in FY21 would give a yield of 2.7%. That&#8217;s the lowest of those mentioned here. However, it&#8217;s important to consider <a href="https://www.hl.co.uk/news/articles/archive/why-reinvesting-your-dividends-is-so-important">the impact of many years of compounding</a> that regular dividends enable.</p>
<p>There are drawbacks, of course. Margins, like those at NWF, are seriously low. And, although performing superbly over the last year (+64%), WYN&#8217;s shares are now only back to the level they were in 2016. Like most things in life (and investing), I think balance is key. I would never fill an income-focused portfolio solely with small-cap stocks.</p>
<p>So, while Wynnstay might make a nice addition, I&#8217;d aim to reduce volatility by also holding some larger dividend hikers as well. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2021/08/30/small-cap-income-3-of-the-best-stocks-to-buy-for-rising-dividends/">Small-cap income: 3 of the best shares to buy for rising dividends</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Will BT&#8217;s share price ever go back up to 200p?</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/09/23/will-bts-share-price-ever-go-back-up-to-200p/</link>
                                <pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:03:38 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=178269</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>The BT share price has halved in the space of 10 months. But could it return to 200p, giving investors today an impressive return?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/09/23/will-bts-share-price-ever-go-back-up-to-200p/">Will BT&#8217;s share price ever go back up to 200p?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Despite being a utility-like business, <strong>BT</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-bt-a/">LSE: BT-A</a>) has been a disappointing performer. Just 10 months ago its shares traded above 200p. Today, they can be picked up for little more than a quid. Can BT&#8217;s share price ever go back up to 200p?</p>
<p>Before coming to that question, I&#8217;d like to tell you about a little-known utility business. <strong>Jersey Electricity</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) has delivered a modest capital gain, as well as paid a dividend, over the last 10 months. I&#8217;ve always liked this company, and it&#8217;s just announced some intriguing news.</p>
<h2>Stable shareholder base</h2>
<p>JEL is the sole supplier of electricity in Jersey. The government of the Channel Islands British Crown Dependency owns 62% of the shares. The other 38% – the &#8216;A shares&#8217; – have traded on the London stock market since 1964.</p>
<p>JEL has a largely stable shareholder base of high net worth individuals and modest institutional investors. As such, a <em>&#8220;notification of major holdings,&#8221;</em> issued by the company on Monday, caught my eye. The last announcement of this kind was over 10 years ago!</p>
<h2>Telecoms investor on the scene</h2>
<p>What&#8217;s particularly interesting is the identity of the institution that&#8217;s just bought 6.57% of the A shares. Based in Helsinki, Finda Telecoms Oy is a focused investment company. According to its <a href="https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=fi&amp;u=https://finda.fi/uutiset/&amp;prev=search&amp;pto=aue">website</a> (and Google translate) <em>&#8220;Finda Telecoms Oy concentrates Finda&#8217;s telecommunications industry expertise, resources and investment targets,</em>&#8221; and is <em>&#8220;an active owner and developer of its investment targets.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Like all companies, Jersey Electricity <em>&#8220;regularly communicates with its largest shareholders.&#8221;</em> Whether it&#8217;s communicated with Finda Telecoms Oy yet, we don&#8217;t know. Nor can I find any public statement from the telecoms investment specialist on why it&#8217;s taken a stake in an electricity company.</p>
<p>What I can find, though, is that Jersey Electricity appears to be sitting on a telecoms licence, issued on 2 September 2013 and ending 1 September 2023. Finda Telecoms Oy&#8217;s interest seems to add some intriguing possibilities to what I think is already a strong investment case for Jersey Electricity.</p>
<p>At a share price of 475p, it trades at 11.7 times trailing 12-month earnings. There&#8217;s also a solid running dividend yield of 3.4%. I think the valuation is attractive, and I rate the stock a &#8216;buy&#8217;.</p>
<h2>Does BT&#8217;s share price have recovery prospects?</h2>
<p>Several years of falling earnings. Dividends suspended. A share price thoroughly hammered. BT sits very much in the bracket of a stock that has little going for it besides the possibility of a turnaround.</p>
<p>Clearly, there&#8217;s substantial upside if it can stage a recovery. After all, a return to the share price of 200p seen 10 months ago would imply an investment return of 100% for buyers of BT&#8217;s stock today. But is it capable of delivering a turnaround?</p>
<p>The group made some progress last year under its new chief executive. And, beneath the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, management has reported a <em>&#8220;strong operating performance&#8221;</em> so far this year.</p>
<p>I think the company has a unique and valuable asset in the shape of its Openreach infrastructure arm. I also think it has a credible turnaround strategy. Despite fairly onerous <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/08/31/why-i-think-the-bt-share-price-is-too-cheap-to-miss/">debt and pension liabilities</a>, the turnaround numbers look workable to me.</p>
<p>Trading at just six times what I expect to be trough earnings this year, I do see scope for BT&#8217;s share price to return to 200p in time. As such, I rate the stock a &#8216;long-term buy&#8217;.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/09/23/will-bts-share-price-ever-go-back-up-to-200p/">Will BT&#8217;s share price ever go back up to 200p?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>3 &#8216;lower-risk&#8217; FTSE stocks I&#8217;d buy to sleep easy</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/03/16/3-lower-risk-ftse-stocks-id-buy-to-sleep-easy/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2020 09:14:50 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=145373</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>Looking for lower-risk FTSE stocks in this volatile market? These three could fit the bill, G A Chester believes.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/03/16/3-lower-risk-ftse-stocks-id-buy-to-sleep-easy/">3 &#8216;lower-risk&#8217; FTSE stocks I&#8217;d buy to sleep easy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here at the Motley Fool, we&#8217;re great advocates of long-term investing in the stock market. And when markets crash our motto is simple: <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/03/09/keep-calm-and-carry-on-investing-foolishly-3/">Keep calm and carry on investing</a>. Many of the purchases you make at such times are highly likely to be among your most profitable investments over the long term.</p>
<p>However, investors do have different tolerances for risk. And market crashes can throw it into sharp relief. Are you currently looking to add some lower-risk FTSE stocks to your portfolio? Or are you a new investor wanting to get started without being overly ambitious? So which shares fit the bill?</p>
<h2>Core holding</h2>
<p><strong>National Grid</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-ng/">LSE: NG</a>) is a blue-chip <strong>FTSE 100</strong> stock. It has a near-monopoly position as the owner and operator of much of the UK&#8217;s gas and electricity infrastructure. As such, it&#8217;s a core holding in the portfolios of many investors.</p>
<p>The FTSE 100 has crashed 28% since world markets went into freefall. And some individual Footsie stocks have suffered much heavier drops. For example, cruise ship operator <strong>Carnival</strong> has seen its shares plummet 61%.</p>
<p>In this context, National Grid&#8217;s 19% decline is relatively benign. Nevertheless, it offers an opportunity for investors to buy into a lower-risk blue-chip at a discount price.</p>
<p>With the shares at 860p, and earnings per share (EPS) of 59.2p over the last 12 months, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 14.5. This is very reasonable for such a dependable blue-chip. Meanwhile, a running yield of 5.6% on a dividend of 47.83p is positively juicy.</p>
<h2>Unique appeal</h2>
<p><strong>Jersey Electricity</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) is a small company, with unique appeal as a lower-risk investment. It&#8217;s the sole supplier of electricity in Jersey. The States of Jersey (the government of the British Crown Dependency) owns 62% of the shares, and the other 38% has been publicly traded on the London stock market for over half a century.</p>
<p>I understand the company has a largely stable shareholder base of institutions and committed individual investors. I think this is a large part of the reason why its share price rarely swings dramatically. It&#8217;s dipped just 6% in the current market crash.</p>
<p>At 434p, with trailing EPS of 38.42p, the P/E is 11.3. The dividend of 15.7p is just-about-bomb-proof, being covered 2.4 times by EPS, and gives a running yield of 3.6%.</p>
<h2>Capital idea</h2>
<p>I named <strong>Capital Gearing Trust</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-cgt/">LSE: CGT</a>) as my pick in our Motley Fool &#8216;Top UK shares for 2020&#8217; feature at the start of the year. Due to its long history of steady, lower-risk returns, I suggested CGT was <em>&#8220;a top buy for whatever 2020 brings.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>The company&#8217;s objective is <em>&#8220;to preserve shareholders’ real wealth and to achieve absolute total return over the medium-to-longer term.&#8221;</em> Around 35% of its portfolio is currently in equities, principally selected index trackers. But it also has substantial holdings in lower-risk assets, such as index-linked and conventional government bonds.</p>
<p>Its share price has declined a modest 9% to 4,070p in the current market crash. It now trades at a slight discount to its net asset value, compared with its usual small premium. It&#8217;s not a stock for income seekers (it has a sub-1% yield), but its record of low-volatility, long-term capital growth is superb.</p>
<p>In summary, I&#8217;d be happy to buy all three of these lower-risk FTSE stocks in a balanced equity portfolio, or as part of a sleep-easy portfolio of assets with some equity exposure.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2020/03/16/3-lower-risk-ftse-stocks-id-buy-to-sleep-easy/">3 &#8216;lower-risk&#8217; FTSE stocks I&#8217;d buy to sleep easy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Is the SSE share price a FTSE 100 bargain or value trap?</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2019/07/29/is-the-sse-share-price-a-ftse-100-bargain-or-value-trap/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2019 07:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SSE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Value stocks]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=130853</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>G A Chester weighs up the prospects for investors in SSE plc (LON:SSE) and a small utility stock you may not have heard of.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2019/07/29/is-the-sse-share-price-a-ftse-100-bargain-or-value-trap/">Is the SSE share price a FTSE 100 bargain or value trap?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>UK utility stocks have been poor performers in recent years. Over the five years to the end of June, the FTSE All-Share Utilities Index delivered a total return of near enough zero. Utilities&#8217; dividends were generous, but simply weren&#8217;t enough to make up for declines in their share prices.</p>
<p>Are companies like <strong>FTSE 100 </strong>giant <strong>SSE </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-sse/">LSE: SSE</a>) and smaller player <strong>Jersey Electricity </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) now bargain buys or value traps? Here, I&#8217;ll give my views on the prospects for these two stocks.</p>
<h2>Out of favour</h2>
<p>About half of SSE&#8217;s five-year share price decline of 26% has happened over the last 12 months. Headwinds have included tougher regulation, competition in retail supply, and rising concern about the Labour Party&#8217;s manifesto commitment to renationalise utilities.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s perhaps not surprising many SSE investors have headed for the exit. However, at a share price of 1,094p, the company is now lowly valued. It trades on a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11.4, with a prospective dividend yield of 7.4%.</p>
<h2>Attractive for high-income seekers</h2>
<p><span lang="EN-US">It was disappointing that SSE&#8217;s plan to merge its retail business with Npower&#8217;s fell through last year. However, while pickings aren&#8217;t as rich as they once were in retail supply, the business is still nicely profitable. Management continues to work on securing its future outside of SSE, my Foolish colleague Roland Head suggesting, <i>&#8220;<a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2019/07/24/this-is-what-id-do-with-the-sse-share-price-right-now/">perhaps in combination with a smaller energy retailer with a sharper focus on marketing</a>.&#8221;</i></span></p>
<p>I think the medium-to-long-term outlook for SSE looks good. The UK has become the first major economy to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050. And SSE is positioned well, with its <em>&#8220;strategic focus on regulated electricity networks and renewable energy, and our commitment to creating value through the low carbon transition.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">As to nationalisation risk, there are significant political, legal and practical obstacles. As I&#8217;ve discussed previously, there are <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2019/03/30/stock-alert-labours-national-grid-nationalisation-threat/">good reasons for thinking investors would be fairly compensated</a>, if it came to it. As such, I rate SSE a &#8216;buy&#8217; today, with the dividend yield being particularly attractive for high-income seekers.</span></p>
<h2>Standing the test of time</h2>
<p>I think there&#8217;s even lower nationalisation risk with Jersey Electricity. Here, 62% of the shares are owned by The States of Jersey (the government of the British Crown Dependency), while the remainder have traded on the London stock market for over 50 years. Westminster retains the right to legislate for British Crown Dependencies against their will, although the Attorney-General of Jersey reckons this right may have become unenforceable by a long habit of non-enforcement (the legal doctrine of &#8216;desuetude&#8217;).</p>
<p>Having said that, there have been calls on the island itself over the years for the States of Jersey to take back full control of Jersey Electricity. However, the structure of the company appears to have stood the test of time, and to work pretty well for all stakeholders, including shareholders.</p>
<h2>Risk diversifier</h2>
<p>The Jersey Electricity share price hasn&#8217;t declined as much as SSE&#8217;s over the last 12 months, being down less than 2% (and modestly positive when dividends are included). Over five years, the shares are <em>up </em>35%, making it a notable sector outperformer.</p>
<p>Despite this performance, the valuation remains reasonable. At a share price of 444p, the forward 12-month P/E is 12.5 and the prospective dividend yield is 3.7%. I rate the stock a &#8216;buy&#8217; as a nice little risk diversifier in the sector.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2019/07/29/is-the-sse-share-price-a-ftse-100-bargain-or-value-trap/">Is the SSE share price a FTSE 100 bargain or value trap?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Why I&#8217;d buy the National Grid share price and 5.5% dividend right now</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/12/14/why-id-buy-the-national-grid-share-price-and-5-5-dividend-right-now/</link>
                                <pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2018 15:54:46 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dividend stocks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Grid]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=120470</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>G A Chester discusses the investment appeal of National Grid plc (LON:NG) and a rock-solid smaller company you may never have heard of.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/12/14/why-id-buy-the-national-grid-share-price-and-5-5-dividend-right-now/">Why I&#8217;d buy the National Grid share price and 5.5% dividend right now</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With the market in turmoil amidst Brexit and political uncertainty, <strong>National Grid </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-ng/">LSE: NG</a>) is a stock I&#8217;d be happy to buy for all seasons. I&#8217;ll come to why I think this <strong>FTSE 100 </strong>utility giant offers value right now, but first I want to tell you about a smaller company that I believe has equally rock-solid credentials for investors today.</p>
<p>The company in question, which released its latest annual results this morning, is another utility, <strong>Jersey Electricity </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>). Let&#8217;s begin by looking briefly at its record of delivering value for shareholders. The table below shows its annualised total returns over five years and 10 years, alongside those of National Grid and the other big FTSE 100 energy utilities, <strong>SSE </strong>and <strong>Centrica</strong>.</p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td><strong>5 years</strong></td>
<td><strong>10 years</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jersey Electricity</td>
<td>11.2</td>
<td>7.7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>National Grid</td>
<td>7.2</td>
<td>8.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SSE</td>
<td>3.1</td>
<td>5.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Centrica</td>
<td>(8.8)</td>
<td>0.9</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>As you can see, Jersey Electricity&#8217;s shareholders have enjoyed very decent returns. Furthermore, I believe the company is more than capable of continuing to deliver for investors long into the future.</p>
<h2>Small-cap gem</h2>
<p>In today&#8217;s results, for its financial year ended 30 September, the firm reported a 4% increase in group revenue to £105.9m. Its core energy business (importation, generation, transmission and distribution of electricity) was responsible for 78% of the revenue. A further 13% came from its electrical retail store and website, with the remaining 9% coming from several smaller businesses, including building services and property.</p>
<p>Pre-tax profit for the year increased 13% to £15.3m, with earnings per share (EPS) rising 14% to 39.54p. The board lifted the dividend by 5% to 14.9p &#8212; covered a very robust 2.65 times by EPS. At a current share price of 457p (unchanged on the day), the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 11.6 and the dividend yield is 3.3%.</p>
<p>The company, which was established in 1924, is 62%-owned by the States of Jersey (the government of this British Crown dependency), while the remaining shares have been traded on the London market since 1964. I view the current valuation as attractive for such a long-established and reliable business, and I rate the stock a &#8216;buy&#8217;.</p>
<h2>Heavyweight hero</h2>
<p>National Grid will be <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2018/12/04/a-ftse-100-dividend-stock-id-buy-and-hold-for-the-next-50-years/">a more familiar company</a> to most Britons, being known particularly as the system operator of the nation&#8217;s high-voltage electricity transmission network. It&#8217;s also the system operator of the gas transmission network, as well as having substantial &#8212; and growing &#8212; energy assets in the US (currently contributing 37% to group operating profit).</p>
<p>The shares have been cheaper than their current 840p at times this year &#8212; notably during the spring market sell-off when they <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2018/02/13/my-top-buys-for-a-ftse-100-starter-portfolio-in-this-market-slump/">fell below 750p</a> &#8212; but I continue to rate the stock a &#8216;buy&#8217; at the current level. This is because this colossus in the regulated utilities space is largely insulated from the wider economy and its dividend yield is still at a highly appealing level.</p>
<p>For the 12 months ended 30 September, EPS of 61.6p gives a P/E of 13.6 and the trailing dividend of 46.52p gives a yield of 5.5%. The dividend is covered 1.32 times by EPS. This is markedly less robust than at Jersey Electricity, but I believe it&#8217;s adequate for a heavyweight blue-chip utility.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/12/14/why-id-buy-the-national-grid-share-price-and-5-5-dividend-right-now/">Why I&#8217;d buy the National Grid share price and 5.5% dividend right now</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>How low can the SSE share price go?</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/09/30/how-low-can-the-sse-share-price-go/</link>
                                <pubDate>Sun, 30 Sep 2018 12:30:12 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SSE]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=117281</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>Is it time to buy the savaged SSE plc (LON:SSE) share price... or time to sell?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/09/30/how-low-can-the-sse-share-price-go/">How low can the SSE share price go?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Over the two decades to 2007, energy utility <strong>SSE </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-sse/">LSE: SSE</a>) earned a reputation for superb profit and dividend growth and, a more or less, a consistently rising share price. Today, we&#8217;re looking at a situation where the share price has fallen from a post-financial-crisis high of 1,650p in 2014, and a 52-week high of 1,450p just a few months ago, to a recent multi-year low of below 1,100p. Has the market done with savaging the shares, or could they fall even further?</p>
<h3>Losing it</h3>
<p>The consensus among City analysts is that SSE will deliver earnings per share (EPS) of 89p for its financial year to 31 March 2019, giving a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.9 at a current share price of 1,150p. The company recently reiterated the board&#8217;s previous guidance that it expects to recommend a dividend of 97.5p for the year, which gives a terrific-looking yield of 8.5%.</p>
<p>However, we should note that the dividend will be uncovered by earnings, and also that it will be rebased to 80p for fiscal 2020, bringing the yield down to 7%. This still represents a superb income. Furthermore, with EPS for the year forecast to rise to 105.3p, the dividend would be well covered and the P/E would drop to 10.9. Such fundamentals would appear to underpin the current share price and, indeed, give it plenty of scope to rise.</p>
<p>Having said that, I&#8217;ve become increasingly concerned in recent months by growing competition from smaller rivals, increasing regulatory pressure, the Labour Party&#8217;s nationalisation plans (should it get into power), and the additional uncertainty of SSE&#8217;s planned merger of its retail business with that of Npower. While I haven&#8217;t viewed these as necessarily fatal to the investment case, one of the key factors for <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2018/09/12/heres-why-the-sse-share-price-could-be-set-for-a-rebound/">SSE&#8217;s recent shock profit warning</a> has been the final nail in the coffin to persuade me to view the stock as one to sell.</p>
<p>The exceptional summer I consider a one-off, but the big losing bet made on lower gas prices by the group&#8217;s energy trading arm, which came out of the blue, is much more of a concern for the future. It has led me to conclude that SSE no longer possesses the visibility and predictability of earnings and dividends that I demand from an investment in the utilities sector.</p>
<h3>Alternative energy</h3>
<p>Smaller energy utility <strong>Jersey Electricity </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>), which is the monopoly supplier of electricity to the island of Jersey, is much closer to my idea of a utility investment with the requisite characteristics. The States of Jersey &#8212; the government of the British Crown dependency &#8212; owns 62% of the company, while the remainder of the shares have traded on the London stock market since 1964.</p>
<p>The company has consistently balanced ongoing investment in infrastructure with affordable electricity for customers, plus attractive, steady returns for shareholders. The dividend has increased at a compound annual growth rate of around 5% over the last five years. I&#8217;m confident this rate of growth can be maintained because, after a phase of heavy infrastructure investment, the dividend is underpinned by steadily increasing profits and reduced capex.</p>
<p>At a share price of 473p, forecasts for Jersey Electricity&#8217;s current financial year put it on a P/E of 13.6, with a prospective dividend yield of 3.2%. I view this, as an attractive offering for such a reliable business, and I rate the stock a &#8216;buy&#8217;.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/09/30/how-low-can-the-sse-share-price-go/">How low can the SSE share price go?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Why I&#8217;d buy this hidden gem ahead of this FTSE 100 8% yielder</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/05/21/why-id-buy-this-hidden-gem-ahead-of-this-ftse-100-8-yielder/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 21 May 2018 14:34:13 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Centrica]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=113003</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>G A Chester reveals a blue-chip small-cap that could be a safer bet than a FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) 8% yielder.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/05/21/why-id-buy-this-hidden-gem-ahead-of-this-ftse-100-8-yielder/">Why I&#8217;d buy this hidden gem ahead of this FTSE 100 8% yielder</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The share price of British Gas owner <strong>Centrica </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-cna/">LSE: CNA</a>) has been in decline for five years. It&#8217;s fallen from over 400p to a current level of under 150p. There have been dividend cuts along the way, taking the payout down from 17p in 2013 to 12p for the past three years. However, despite the reduced dividend, the shares have fallen so far that the running yield at the current price is a massive 8%.</p>
<h3>Stumbling giant</h3>
<p>In its annual results in February, the <strong>FTSE 100 </strong>giant posted a 25% decline in adjusted earnings per share (EPS) to 12.6p, only just covering the 12p dividend. Normally, a super-high yield and poor dividend cover would indicate a likely future payout cut, but my Foolish colleague Roland Head argued that <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2018/03/27/one-small-cap-turnaround-stock-id-consider-with-8-yielder-centrica-plc/">Centrica could be an exception</a>.</p>
<p>The bull case, which rests on management meeting its targets for cost savings and limiting capital investment, is certainly worth considering. However, the business continues to lose customers in a competitive environment and I see significant downside risk. Management&#8217;s targets appear ambitious to me, particularly with the government&#8217;s proposed cap on standard variable tariffs. As such, I don&#8217;t see a great margin of safety in the company&#8217;s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11.7.</p>
<p>Furthermore, on the dividend front, the consensus forecast of City analysts has moved to a cut (11.8p), but I find myself in agreement with those at the bearish end of the spectrum. For example, Morgan Stanley models an 8p payout, but also adds, <em>&#8220;it could well be lower than this.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Utilities are supposed to provide investors with steady returns at relatively low risk. Centrica has delivered anything but this over the years and the future looks no more promising to me. However, while I rate this stumbling FTSE 100 giant a &#8216;sell&#8217;, there&#8217;s a hidden gem in the utilities sector &#8212; a &#8216;blue-chip small-cap&#8217;, I&#8217;d call it &#8212; that I&#8217;d happily buy.</p>
<h3>My idea of a utility</h3>
<p><strong>Jersey Electricity </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>), which released its latest half-year results today, was founded in 1924 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1964. The sole supplier of electricity in Jersey in the Channel Islands, <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2017/12/14/why-id-buy-this-small-cap-safety-stock-alongside-national-grid-plc/">the company has the qualities I look for in a utility</a>.</p>
<p>For the six months to 31 March, it posted an 8.7% increase in EPS on 4.3% higher revenue, and the board lifted the interim dividend by 5%. Management described profits as being, <em>&#8220;at a level commensurate with a sustainable rate of return typical for a regulated utility and at a quantum needed to maintain our continued investment in infrastructure.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>The company, which is 62% owned by The States of Jersey (the government of the British Crown dependency), has long operated in a stable political environment and has balanced the needs of its stakeholders. This includes steady returns for equity investors, who have seen an average total return of 9.3% a year over the last 10 years, compared with 6.1% for the FTSE 100 and 0.9% for Centrica.</p>
<p>The shares are trading 1p higher at 475p on the back of today&#8217;s results. With trailing 12-month EPS of 36.6p, the P/E is a reasonable 13, while a well-covered 14.5p dividend gives a running yield of 3.1%. I see no reason why the company can&#8217;t go on delivering consistent returns for its shareholders long into the future.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2018/05/21/why-id-buy-this-hidden-gem-ahead-of-this-ftse-100-8-yielder/">Why I&#8217;d buy this hidden gem ahead of this FTSE 100 8% yielder</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Why I&#8217;d buy this small-cap safety stock alongside National Grid plc</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2017/12/14/why-id-buy-this-small-cap-safety-stock-alongside-national-grid-plc/</link>
                                <pubDate>Thu, 14 Dec 2017 17:17:36 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Grid]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=106295</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>If you're keen on National Grid plc (LON:NG), this little-known smaller company is also worth considering, says G A Chester.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2017/12/14/why-id-buy-this-small-cap-safety-stock-alongside-national-grid-plc/">Why I&#8217;d buy this small-cap safety stock alongside National Grid plc</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>National Grid </strong>(<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-ng/">LSE: NG</a>) is considered by many investors to be a prime &#8216;safety stock&#8217; and a cornerstone holding for a portfolio. Rightly so, in my view.</p>
<p>Having a near-monopoly of ownership and actual monopoly as operator of Britain’s principal gas and electricity arteries, the <strong>FTSE 100</strong> blue chip holds <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2017/10/14/national-grid-plc-and-unilever-plc-look-like-ideal-stocks-for-your-golden-years/">a unique position of national dominance</a>. Needless to say, it&#8217;s a highly regulated business, but essentially, if it invests appropriately and operates reliably and efficiently, shareholders should receive a fair and relatively consistent return on their investment.</p>
<h3>Attractive opportunity</h3>
<p>Even after a period of weak share-price performance, National Grid&#8217;s 10-year annualised total return of 5.71% is a little ahead of the Footsie&#8217;s 5.57%. Furthermore, the current depressed price (870p) to me represents a great opportunity to buy a slice of the business.</p>
<p>The company is expected to deliver earnings per share (EPS) of 58.9p this year, giving a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.8. You have to go back around five years to find it on such an attractive earnings rating and the same can be said of a 5.2% dividend yield on an expected payout of 45.5p.</p>
<h3>Diversification</h3>
<p>Operating in the northeast US as well as Britain, National Grid offers a degree of diversification in that it isn&#8217;t exposed to a single regulatory regime. However, I imagine few investors are aware that there&#8217;s another London-listed company, offering diversification into a third geography and regulatory regime.</p>
<p>The company in question is long established, having been founded in 1924, and joined the stock market in 1964. It operates in a mature western market, where the risks of political upheaval, seizure of assets and so on are minimal, and it&#8217;s a well-managed business. It released its latest set of annual results today.</p>
<h3>Hidden gem</h3>
<p><strong>Jersey Electricity</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) is the sole supplier of electricity in Jersey, in the Channel Islands, and also has some small income streams from non-energy businesses. Its shares are 62% owned by The States of Jersey (the government of the British Crown dependency) with the remainder in the hands of institutions and private individuals.</p>
<p>The company today reported a pre-tax profit of £13.5m on revenue of £102.3m for its financial year ended 30 September. EPS came in at 34.6p, which was 3.9% up on last year, and the board lifted the dividend by 5.3% to 13.8p. The shares are unmoved at 452.5p, giving a P/E of 13.1 and a dividend yield of 3%.</p>
<p>Jersey Electricity&#8217;s 10-year annualised total return is running at 9.39% (ahead of National Grid&#8217;s 5.71%) and I believe the Channel Islands business is well positioned to continue delivering very satisfactory returns for its shareholders.</p>
<p>This well-managed business has a robust balance sheet and with it also having an attractive P/E and well-covered dividend, I personally rate the stock as a &#8216;buy&#8217; in its own right and commend it as worthy of investigation for investors in &#8216;safety stocks&#8217; looking to diversify exposure across different regulatory regimes.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2017/12/14/why-id-buy-this-small-cap-safety-stock-alongside-national-grid-plc/">Why I&#8217;d buy this small-cap safety stock alongside National Grid plc</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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                                <title>Power Up Your Portfolio With National Grid plc, OPG Power Ventures Plc And Jersey Electricity PLC</title>
                <link>https://www.fool.co.uk/2015/07/06/power-up-your-portfolio-with-national-grid-plc-opg-power-ventures-plc-and-jersey-electricity-plc/</link>
                                <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2015 14:39:37 +0000</pubDate>
                <dc:creator><![CDATA[G A Chester]]></dc:creator>
                		<category><![CDATA[Investing Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Grid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OPG Power Ventures]]></category>

                <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.fool.co.uk/?p=67302</guid>
                                    <description><![CDATA[<p>G A Chester looks at the attractions of National Grid plc (LON:NG), OPG Power Ventures Plc (LON:OPG) and Jersey Electricity PLC (LON:JEL).</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2015/07/06/power-up-your-portfolio-with-national-grid-plc-opg-power-ventures-plc-and-jersey-electricity-plc/">Power Up Your Portfolio With National Grid plc, OPG Power Ventures Plc And Jersey Electricity PLC</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
]]></description>
                                                                                            <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>National Grid</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-ng/">LSE: NG</a>) (NYSE: NGG.US) is a core <strong>FTSE 100</strong> holding in the portfolios of many investors &#8212; and rightly so, in my view &#8212; but it could be worth considering adding smaller companies <strong>Jersey Electricity</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-jel/">LSE: JEL</a>) and <strong>OPG Power Ventures</strong> (<a class="tickerized-link" href="https://www.fool.co.uk/tickers/lse-opg/">LSE: OPG</a>) to reduce company-specific risk, increase geographical diversification and inject a bit of spicy growth.</p>
<h3>National Grid</h3>
<p>National Grid runs Britain&#8217;s essential gas and electricity networks. Regulators set the company&#8217;s investment, pricing and returns parameters for long periods ahead. This gives management good visibility on the future, enabling long-term planning, and making for a very stable business. The company also has some geographical diversification, with energy businesses in the northeastern US.</p>
<p>As a lower-risk equity investment, National Grid is ideal for a core blue-chip holding in a shares portfolio. What&#8217;s more, now could be a good time to buy, because the shares are trading not far off their 52-week low and some 14% below their high.</p>
<p>Analyst forecasts put National Grid on a 12-month forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14.1, with a prospective dividend yield of 5.3%. The P/E is in line with the <strong>FTSE 100</strong> long-term average, which is a generous rating for a stable, premium business. The yield is also generous, particularly as it comes with a boardroom policy to increase the dividend each year at least in line with RPI inflation for the foreseeable future.</p>
<h3>Jersey Electricity</h3>
<p>Jersey Electricity was founded in 1924 and floated on the London stock market in 1964. The company is the sole supplier of electricity in Jersey, via interconnectors from France and some on-island generation. The company also runs the Channel Islands Electricity Grid in partnership with Guernsey Electricity.</p>
<p>Jersey Electricity is 62%-owned by the States of Jersey (the government), but the company is largely left to get on with the business of balancing the needs of the island and shareholders. Shareholders have seen an annualised total return (capital and dividends) of 10.1% over the past 10 years, which is ahead of National Grid&#8217;s 9.5%.</p>
<p>Although a smaller company than National Grid, Jersey Electricity nevertheless enjoys a low-risk monopoly position in its territory. The shares are currently trading at an all-time high, giving a forward P/E of 16.2 and a yield of 3%. While long-term investors could still see a decent return from current levels, I would be tempted to wait/hope for a dip in the price to add some useful satellite geographical diversification to a core National Grid shareholding.</p>
<h3>OPG Power Ventures</h3>
<p>OPG Power Ventures joined London&#8217;s junior AIM market in 2008. The company was founded to develop and operate power plants in India, after a 2003 liberalising act of parliament opened up the industry to private investment for the first time since 1948.</p>
<p>OPG has delivered compound annual earnings growth of over 40% over the last three years, and analysts have pencilled in more of the same for the next two years. More importantly, after heavy investment, OPG has now built sufficient scale to start generating cash flows (and dividends), which means the company is a less risky investment than in the early days &#8212; although this rupee-earner is by no means low risk.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, a small investment in the company would add geographical diversification and a bit of spicy growth potential to the power sector of an investor&#8217;s portfolio. A current-year forecast P/E of 14.8 falls to 10.3 next year, giving very attractive price-to-earnings growth (PEG) readouts of 0.3 and 0.2. Dividends could also grow fast from a symbolic maiden payout expected this year.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk/2015/07/06/power-up-your-portfolio-with-national-grid-plc-opg-power-ventures-plc-and-jersey-electricity-plc/">Power Up Your Portfolio With National Grid plc, OPG Power Ventures Plc And Jersey Electricity PLC</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.fool.co.uk">The Motley Fool UK</a>.</p>
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