How Edison’s 22nd Straight Dividend Hike Amid Wildfire Risk (EIX) Has Changed Its Investment Story

Simply Wall St · 5d ago
  • Edison International recently increased its quarterly common stock dividend for the 22nd consecutive year, with its CEO citing confidence in the company’s financial strength and long-term earnings goals, even as concerns about elevated wildfire exposure were reiterated by a major Wall Street analyst.
  • This combination of sustained dividend growth and renewed focus on wildfire risk highlights the ongoing trade-off investors face between reliable income and potential liability uncertainty.
  • We’ll now examine how the latest dividend increase, set against ongoing wildfire liability concerns, may influence Edison International’s investment narrative.

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Edison International Investment Narrative Recap

To own Edison International, you need to be comfortable trading a strong, regulated utility income stream against persistent wildfire liability risk. The latest dividend hike and Morgan Stanley’s lower price target do not appear to change the central near term catalyst, which remains how regulators and courts ultimately share wildfire costs, nor the biggest current risk, which is the potential for large, unforeseen wildfire related charges to weigh on earnings and balance sheet flexibility.

The recent increase in the quarterly dividend to US$0.8775 per share, extending a 22 year growth streak, is the announcement that most directly ties into this tension between income and risk. While it underscores management’s stated confidence in financial strength and long term EPS goals, it also sharpens the question of how sustainable such payouts will be if wildfire liabilities, legal outcomes, or changes around California’s AB 1054 meaningfully alter cost recovery or required shareholder contributions.

Yet behind the stability of a growing dividend, investors should be aware of how unresolved wildfire liabilities and evolving cost recovery rules could...

Read the full narrative on Edison International (it's free!)

Edison International's narrative projects $20.4 billion revenue and $2.4 billion earnings by 2028. This requires 5.2% yearly revenue growth and a $0.2 billion earnings decrease from $2.6 billion today.

Uncover how Edison International's forecasts yield a $67.37 fair value, a 11% upside to its current price.

Exploring Other Perspectives

EIX 1-Year Stock Price Chart
EIX 1-Year Stock Price Chart

Four fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community range from US$55 to about US$103, reflecting very different expectations for Edison International’s future. As you weigh those views, keep in mind that ongoing and expanding wildfire liabilities could materially affect earnings quality and balance sheet resilience over time, which may influence how you interpret such a wide spread in perceived value.

Explore 4 other fair value estimates on Edison International - why the stock might be worth as much as 70% more than the current price!

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.