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

All three major indices are trading down today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) trading down 23 points (-0.2%) at 13,146 as of Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, 11:50 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,344 issues advancing vs. 1,517 declining with 152 unchanged.

The Utilities sector currently sits down 0.1% versus the S&P 500, which is down 0.3%. A company within the sector that increased today was Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (EBR.B), up 2.4%. A company within the sector that fell today was CPFL Energy (CPL), 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 $0.19 (1.3%) to $15.15 on average volume Thus far, 270,914 shares of Energy Company of Parana exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 513,500 shares. The stock has ranged in price between $15.15-$15.23 after having opened the day at $15.21 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $14.96.

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 $4.1 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 28.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. 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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