Utilities were in focus this week as several major players in the sector reported earnings. FirstEnergy (FE) stood out with a 4% implied move after announcing a 10-year LNG sales agreement with Ignitis Group, highlighting contracted storage capacity along the Gulf Coast. The company also reaffirmed its core EPS CAGR near the top end of 6-8% through 2030, supported by a $36 billion 5-year capital investment plan.

In addition, IEX (IEX) beat expectations with a 2% implied move, reporting 3Q EPS of $2.33 and sales of $952 million ahead of $932 million consensus. The company forecasted full-year EPS higher than the prior range of $8.70-$8.85, with organic growth of 6.5-6.8%.

AEP (AEP) also reported strong earnings, with 3Q operating EPS of $2.23 above Street expectations of $2.04. The company announced a $100 billion five-year capital plan with a +13% rate base CAGR through 2031, as well as an operating earnings annual growth rate of 9-11% from 2027-2031. The projection for operating earnings CAGR through 2031 is 10%+.

EXE (EXE) also reported earnings, with 3Q adj EPS of $1.46 and EBITDAX of $1.23 billion slightly better than expectations of $1.18 billion. The company repurchased $305 million of stock during the quarter and reduced leverage ratio to 0.8x. The company expects to run 11-12 rigs and updated capex to $3 billion, with desk views suggesting a more cautious outlook.

RRC (RRC) was the only loser in the group, with a -/= implied move after reporting 3Q adj EPS of $0.81 below Street expectations.

Overall, the utilities sector continues to perform well, with these earnings reports highlighting the resilience and growth potential of these companies despite challenges in the broader market.