5 Stocks Pushing The Utilities Sector Higher

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

Two out of the three major indices are trading lower today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) trading up 15 points (0.1%) at 12,980 as of Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, 11:49 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,319 issues advancing vs. 1,553 declining with 162 unchanged.

The Utilities sector currently is unchanged today versus the S&P 500, which is down 0.1%. Top gainers within the sector include Atlas Energy (ATLS), up 3.8%, Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (EBR), up 1.2% and Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (EBR.B), up 1.1%. A company within the sector that fell today was TransAlta Corporation (TAC), up 1.8%.

TheStreet Ratings group would like to highlight 5 stocks pushing the sector higher today:

5. Energy Company of Parana (ELP) is one of the companies pushing the Utilities sector higher today. As of noon trading, Energy Company of Parana is up $0.16 (1.2%) to $13.75 on light volume Thus far, 179,256 shares of Energy Company of Parana exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 608,900 shares. The stock has ranged in price between $13.67-$13.83 after having opened the day at $13.78 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $13.59.

Companhia Paranaense de Energia Copel engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity primarily to industrial, residential, commercial, and rural customers primarily in the state of Parana, Brazil. Energy Company of Parana has a market cap of $3.7 billion and is part of the utilities industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 19.8, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 35.9% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there is 1 analyst that rates Energy Company of Parana a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 2 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Energy Company of Parana as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and attractive valuation levels. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including disappointing return on equity, a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and poor profit margins. Get the full Energy Company of Parana Ratings Report now.

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