How to Find the Best Utility Stocks

When seeking out the best utility stocks, investors should focus on companies with scale and income potential.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Utility stocks are probably not the most dynamic investments on Wall Street, but these solid companies do have a lot to offer low-risk investors. After all, electricity is just as much a necessity as food and water in the modern economy. While there are few things that are certain in this world, a constant demand for electricity is indeed one of them.

But how to find the best utility stocks is not as straightforward a task. You need to assess the current leaders in this sector as well as who is facing long-term risks. 

You also have to think beyond the usual suspects and consider unconventional utility stocks that include water and wastewater providers, as well as independent power producers and energy traders that don't fit the traditional mold.

If you're interested in investing in the best utility stocks, here's what you should look for.

Jeff Reeves
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com

Jeff Reeves writes about equity markets and exchange-traded funds for Kiplinger. A veteran journalist with extensive capital markets experience, Jeff has written about Wall Street and investing since 2008. His work has appeared in numerous respected finance outlets, including CNBC, the Fox Business Network, the Wall Street Journal digital network, USA Today and CNN Money.