Ameren Corp

Ameren Corporation's board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 75 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend is payable September 30, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 8, 2026. Separately, the boards of Union Electric Company, doing business as Ameren Missouri, and Ameren Illinois Company declared regular quarterly cash dividends on all classes of their preferred stock, payable November 15 and November 1, 2026, respectively.

Nuclear energy stocks are attracting investor interest as surging demand for reliable, carbon-free electricity strengthens the industry's growth outlook. The U.S. aims to expand nuclear capacity from roughly 100 gigawatts in 2024 to nearly 400 gigawatts by 2050, supported by license extensions, new small modular reactor technology, and plans to restart retired plants. The Department of Energy has awarded over $94 million to eight companies to accelerate advanced SMR deployment, while rising power needs from AI data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicles drive long-term demand. Among highlighted stocks, Ameren Corporation plans nearly 1,500 megawatts of new nuclear capacity by 2040 and $31.8 billion in infrastructure investment through 2030; Energy Fuels expects first-half 2026 uranium production of roughly 1.6 million pounds and holds six long-term contracts with U.S. utilities; and Vistra Corp. has secured nuclear power purchase agreements with Meta and Amazon Web Services, with its six reactors capable of generating more than 6,500 megawatts of emission-free energy.

Ameren Corp reported a higher profit for its second quarter, with earnings rising to $314 million, or $1.13 per share, from $275 million, or $1.01 per share, in the same period last year. Revenue fell 5.8% to $2.092 billion from $2.221 billion a year earlier. The company issued earnings per share guidance for the next quarter in a range of $5.25 to $5.45.

Zacks Equity Research has identified NextEra Energy, Duke Energy, American Electric Power, and Ameren as four electric utility stocks worth buying despite industry headwinds. The Zacks Utility-Electric Power industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 158, placing it in the bottom 36% of more than 247 Zacks industries, and the industry's recent earnings estimate of $2.61 in June 2026 reflects a 6.5% decline from June 2025. However, the selected stocks each hold a Zacks Rank of 2, or Buy, and have market capitalizations above $30 billion. NextEra Energy plans to invest more than $94.1 billion through 2030, Duke Energy has a $103 billion capital plan for 2026 through 2030, American Electric Power is executing a $78 billion investment plan over the same period, and Ameren expects capital deployment in excess of $31.8 billion from 2026 to 2030. The industry has gained 17.3% over the past 12 months, outperforming its sector's 13.5% rise but trailing the S&P 500's 23.7% gain, and it trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 15.47 times.

Ameren Corporation recently presented at the J.P. Morgan Natural Resources Conference 2026 in New York, highlighting its outlook to institutional investors. Improving analyst sentiment, reflected in upward earnings estimate revisions and a stronger Zacks ranking, has drawn attention to Ameren's earnings consistency and dividend profile. The company reaffirmed its 2026 earnings guidance of US$5.25 to US$5.45 per diluted share, anchoring near-term expectations that analysts are now revisiting more positively. Ameren's narrative projects $10.6 billion revenue and $1.9 billion earnings by 2029, requiring 7.6% yearly revenue growth and a $0.4 billion earnings increase from $1.5 billion today. Two fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community span roughly US$95.68 to US$119.87 per share, underscoring how differently individuals can view Ameren's potential.

Ameren has a positive Earnings ESP of +2.16% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting it may beat estimates again in its upcoming earnings report. The utility has topped consensus estimates in each of the last two quarters, with an average surprise of 5.35%. For the most recent quarter, Ameren reported earnings of $1.28 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 per share, a 9.40% beat. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 or better has historically produced a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time.

Ameren has been recognized by the International Economic Development Council as an Accredited Economic Development Organization, one of only 99 such organizations nationwide. The accreditation follows a comprehensive peer review that evaluated the utility's structure, funding, programs, and staff. Ameren Missouri's team was praised for its partnerships and site readiness efforts, while Ameren Illinois was cited for leadership and programs like the Ameren Site Acceleration Program. The credential must be renewed every three years.

Ameren shares surged 3.3% to close at $118.32 in the last trading session, backed by heavy volume. The move follows Ameren Missouri's request to the Missouri Public Service Commission to update electric base rates starting in mid-2027, aiming to recover investments in storm-hardening, grid modernization, and new generation. The proposed adjustment would allow Ameren to earn regulated returns on billions of dollars in system modernization, supporting long-term earnings and cash flow growth, while reflecting $21 million in expected base-rate savings over two years from future large-load customers. Ameren is expected to report quarterly earnings of $1.04 per share on revenue of $2.36 billion, though the consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.7% lower over the past 30 days. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 3, or Hold.

Ameren Missouri has filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission to recover costs for electric system upgrades and new power generation, with new base rates not taking effect until mid-2027 after an 11-month review. The proposal would increase the average residential bill by about $13 per month, though the company says its residential rates are approximately 27% below Midwest and national averages and would remain well below those averages even if approved. The filing includes a new income-eligible discount rate that offsets the proposed adjustment for the most vulnerable customers, and the company expects $21 million in base rate savings over the next two years from committed data center customers. Key investments include storm-hardened infrastructure that prevented more than 260,000 customer outages during major storms from January 2025 through May 2026, as well as 400 megawatts of new generation from three energy centers expected online by the end of 2026.

Ameren, the St. Louis-based utility, is highlighted as a top dividend stock, with its shares up 10.64% year-to-date. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share, yielding 2.72%, which exceeds the S&P 500's 1.4% but trails the Utility - Electric Power industry average of 2.94%. Ameren's annualized dividend of $3.00 per share marks a 5.6% increase from last year, and over the past five years it has raised its dividend five times for an average annual increase of 7.11%. The payout ratio stands at 57% of trailing twelve-month earnings, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings is $5.36 per share, implying 6.56% year-over-year growth.