We recently published a list of 12 Best Growth Stocks to Invest In According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) stands against the other growth stocks to invest in according to analysts.

Companies experiencing above-average earnings growth, which is often fueled by innovations and market expansions, are known as growth stocks. However, investing in them requires more than just chasing their rising share prices. These companies typically command higher valuations than their peers, which reflects investor confidence in their future potential. While they offer the prospect of substantial returns, they also come with heightened volatility and are susceptible to economic pressures like inflation and supply chain disruptions. Despite recent market fluctuations, periods of decline can present strategic entry points for long-term investors.

On February 20, Adam Crisafulli, Vital Knowledge founder, and Ryan Detrick, Carson Group chief market strategist, joined ‘Closing Bell Overtime’ on CNBC to discuss the state of the market. Detrick addressed the broadening nature of the market and the lack of panic following recent Fed minutes. He noted that all 11 sectors have increased year-to-date, with 7 sectors outperforming the S&P 500. Detrick highlighted that after two consecutive years of over 20% gains, the market has continued its upward trajectory, showing an increase of over 4%, almost 5%, so far this year. He emphasized that surprises in a bull market typically lean towards positive outcomes and reiterated that the ongoing rotation among sectors is beneficial for investors because it allows for a diversified portfolio.

Crisafulli then shifted the focus to specific companies which are set to report earnings. He connected these companies to trends in digital payments and marketing, emphasizing the role of data in driving customer loyalty and business growth in a modern economy. He discussed a broader theme of valuation reversion among high-multiple stocks and suggested that cheaper segments of the market are starting to catch up in terms of valuation expansion. Detrick added to this by discussing record highs for major indexes such as the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100, as well as European indices like the DAX and Stoxx Europe 600. He also mentioned gold trading at record levels and questioned whether it is wise to invest at these heights or if the opportunity has passed. Detrick explained that they incorporated gold into their tactical models back in March 2023, adding more during a pullback post-election when the dollar rose sharply. He attributed gold’s rise to central bank indecision and suggested that the US dollar may have peaked. He advocated for including gold in a diversified portfolio, particularly within a 60-40 asset allocation model.

The overall discussion underscored the importance of diversification in investment strategies amidst changing market dynamics.

Methodology

We used stock screeners to compile a list of the top growth stocks. We then selected 12 stocks that had high average upside potential of over 30% and were the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their average upside potential. We’ve also added the hedge fund sentiment for each stock, as of Q4 2024, which was sourced from Insider Monkey’s database.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

Brightly-lit nighttime view of an electricity power grid with distribution lines and transmission substations.

PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 74

Upside Potential as of February 19: 39.86%

PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) is an energy provider in northern and central California. It delivers electricity and natural gas to a wide range of customers. Using a diverse energy generation portfolio and extensive infrastructure, it ensures the reliable delivery of essential energy services.

It’s seeing a surge in the demand from data centers, making this beneficial load segment a key growth area. The company has applications for 5.5 gigawatts of new data center power, with 1.4 gigawatts already moving through advanced planning stages, which involves 15 customers and 27 sites. This growth is projected to come online between 2026 and 2030. The influx of data center power demand offers economic advantages. The company estimates that for every 1,000 megawatts of new data center load, customer bills could decrease by 1% to 2%.

To manage this growth efficiently, PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) proposed “electric rule 30” to the CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission), which would allow large customers to fund upfront costs, thus protecting existing customers from potential financial risks. The company views this beneficial load as a long-term growth driver, allowing it to invest in grid improvements while keeping costs down. It’s taking a strategic approach to balance growth with affordability and is working closely with regulators to ensure that these projects benefit all customers.

Third Point Management discussed the implications of potential utility liability from California wildfires, emphasizing that PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) benefits from AB1054 protections due to its safety compliance and substantial wildfire mitigation investments. It highlighted the financial safeguards in place, which include cost recovery mechanisms and an insurance fund, which provide stability despite inherent risks in grid infrastructure. Here’s what it said in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

“We are devastated by the recent events in Southern California. Several of our family members and team members call Los Angeles home, and our hearts are with all impacted by the fires.

While PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) does not operate in this region, there is press speculation that one of the fires, Eaton, may have been related to transmission equipment owned by SoCal Edison (SCE), another investor-owned utility (parent company Edison International.) Edison has stated publicly that they do not believe their equipment was involved. The investigation is ongoing, and we believe it is premature to make conclusions about the origin of the fire…

If the Eaton fire ignition was related to SCE equipment, the California legal standard of “inverse condemnation” exposes SCE to resultant property damage liabilities. After PG&E’s bankruptcy in 2019, California passed a bill called AB1054 which protects the state’s investor-owned utilities (Edison, PG&E and Sempra) from these liabilities as long as they adhere to a rigorous safety standard. This includes a comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan approved annually by the government and a commitment to spend billions to harden the grid; for example, PG&E is spending a whopping $18 billion on wildfire mitigation from 2023 -2025. In exchange, AB1054 includes several protections, such as a legal prudency standard that entitles the utility to cost recovery via multiple avenues in the event of a catastrophic fire and a $21 billion insurance fund to cover incurred liabilities. SCE has an active safety certificate and thus should benefit from the protections under AB 1054, just as PG&E would in case of a future fire. Regulator-approved cost recovery is a routine proceeding for utilities in areas prone to severe climate events (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.) in acknowledgement of the fact that it is not feasible to remove all risk from overhead grid infrastructure. PCG has been the preeminent advocate in California for undergrounding, which we believe is the only way to permanently eliminate wildfire risk from grid assets…” (Click here to read the full text)

Overall, PCG ranks 9th on our list of best growth stocks to invest in according to analysts. While we acknowledge the growth potential of PCG, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PCG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

 

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap

 

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.