Dividend Increase of 6.7% and 8% Growth in Performance: Confidence of U.S. Regulated Utilities

WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC) reported 2025 GAAP net income of $1.6 billion, a slight increase from the prior year. Excluding one-time items, adjusted earnings per share rose 8% year-over-year to $5.27. Revenue climbed to $9.8 billion, driven by higher electricity and natural gas sales volumes.

Despite recording a one-time charge related to an infrastructure-investment dispute with the Illinois Attorney General, the company reaffirmed its 2026 EPS guidance of $5.51–$5.61 and its long-term growth target of 7–8% annually. It also announced a 6.7% increase in its quarterly dividend, raising it to $0.9525 per share.

On January 22, the board formally approved the dividend increase to $0.9525 per share, or $3.81 annually, marking 23 consecutive years of dividend growth.

On the New York Stock Exchange, WEC’s share price has traded around $110, modestly underperforming or matching its U.S. utility peers.

Headquartered in the Midwest, WEC Energy Group supplies electricity and natural gas to about 4.7 million customers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. It is a member of the S&P 500 and is widely regarded as a premier dividend stock.

In the U.S. regulated utility sector, large-scale infrastructure and transmission investments, together with a shift toward renewable energy, support relatively stable cash flows and steady dividend payouts, making the industry a defensive play.