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Best Utility Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top utility stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Due Diligence Score. See the best utility stocks to buy now, according to analyst forecasts for the utilities sector.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best utility stocks to buy right now are:

Central Puerto Sa (NYSE:CEPU) is the #1 top utility stock out of 109 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Central Puerto Sa (NYSE:CEPU) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Central Puerto Sa (NYSE:CEPU) has a Due Diligence Score of 29, which is -2 points lower than the utility sector average of 31. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CEPU as a "A".It passed 11 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Central Puerto Sa has seen its stock return 34.7% over the past year, overperforming other utility stocks by 20 percentage points.

Axia Energia Sa (NYSE:AXIA) is the #2 top utility stock out of 109 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Axia Energia Sa (NYSE:AXIA) is: Value: C, Growth: A, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Axia Energia Sa (NYSE:AXIA) has a Due Diligence Score of 13, which is -18 points lower than the utility sector average of 31. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates AXIA as a "A".It passed 5 out of 38 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Axia Energia Sa has seen its stock return 47.27% over the past year, overperforming other utility stocks by 33 percentage points.

Pampa Energy (NYSE:PAM) is the #3 top utility stock out of 109 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +17.17% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Pampa Energy (NYSE:PAM) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: B.

Pampa Energy (NYSE:PAM) has a Due Diligence Score of 30, which is -1 points lower than the utility sector average of 31. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates PAM as a "B".It passed 9 out of 33 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Pampa Energy has seen its stock return 28.3% over the past year, overperforming other utility stocks by 14 percentage points.

Pampa Energy has an average 1 year price target of $99.25, an upside of 11.03% from Pampa Energy's current stock price of $89.39.

Pampa Energy stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Pampa Energy, 50% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 50% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 76 utility stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 utility stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Suburban Propane Partners (NYSE:SPH) has an annual dividend yield of 7.04%, which is 4 percentage points higher than the utility sector average of 2.97%. Suburban Propane Partners's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% two times in the last 10 years. Suburban Propane Partners's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Suburban Propane Partners's dividend payout ratio of 65.3% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Energy Co Of Minas Gerais (NYSE:CIG) has an annual dividend yield of 5.71%, which is 3 percentage points higher than the utility sector average of 2.97%. Energy Co Of Minas Gerais's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% fifteen times in the last 10 years. Energy Co Of Minas Gerais's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Energy Co Of Minas Gerais's dividend payout ratio of 84.4% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Kenon Holdings (NYSE:KEN) has an annual dividend yield of 5.58%, which is 3 percentage points higher than the utility sector average of 2.97%. Kenon Holdings's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% two times in the last 10 years. Kenon Holdings's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Kenon Holdings's dividend payout ratio of 250% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Utility stocks were up 0.32% in the last day, and up 0.04% over the last week. Nrg Energy was the among the top gainers in the utilities sector, gaining 6.37% yesterday.

Shares of utility companies are trading higher. Reports suggesting OpenAI will increase its cloud spending to about $750 billion through 2030 lends confidence that hyperscaler growth and competition will fuel electricity demand.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued utility stocks right now are:

Korea Electric Power (NYSE:KEP) is the most undervalued utility stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Korea Electric Power has a valuation score of 71, which is 50 points higher than the utility sector average of 21. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Korea Electric Power's stock has dropped -12.98% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the utility sector by -28 percentage points.

Enel Chile Sa (NYSE:ENIC) is the second most undervalued utility stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Enel Chile Sa has a valuation score of 71, which is 50 points higher than the utility sector average of 21. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Enel Chile Sa's stock has gained 33.73% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the utility sector by 19 percentage points.

Central Puerto Sa (NYSE:CEPU) is the third most undervalued utility stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Central Puerto Sa has a valuation score of 43, which is 22 points higher than the utility sector average of 21. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Central Puerto Sa's stock has gained 34.7% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the utility sector by 20 percentage points.

34.57% of utility stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect utility stocks to rise by 13.05% over the next year.

2% of utility stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 4% of utility stocks are rated B (Buy), 57% are rated C (Hold), 28% are rated D (Sell), and 9% are rated F (Strong Sell).