--- title: What You Don’t Know About Utilities May Surprise You (Clone) description: Did you know that over the long-term utility stocks have outperformed the overall market with half the volatility? Here are more surprising facts about this often underappreciated sector. image: https://insights.reavesam.com/hubfs/Blog/2023.01%20Reaves%20Blog%20What%20You%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Know%20About%20Utilities%201%20LinkedIn.png --- [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/header_logo.png?width=270&height=135&name=header_logo.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://reavesam.com/) [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/Reaves_Asset_Management_Logo_mobile.png?width=1000&height=135&name=Reaves_Asset_Management_Logo_mobile.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://reavesam.com/) - About Us - [About Reaves](https://reavesam.com/about-us/) - [Philosophy and Process](https://reavesam.com/philosophy-and-process/) - [Our Team](https://reavesam.com/our-team/) - Portfolios - [Reaves Utility Income Fund](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-utility-income-fund/) - [Reaves Infrastructure Fund](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-infrastructure-fund/) - [Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-utilities-etf/) - Separately Managed Accounts - [Reaves Long Term Value Strategy](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-long-term-value-strategy/) - [Reaves Dividend Income Strategy](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-dividend-income-strategy/) - Resources - [Content Library](https://reavesam.com/library/) - [Blog](https://insights.reavesam.com/blog) - [Contact](https://reavesam.com/contact-us/) - [Form CRS](https://reavesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Reaves-Asset-Management-Form-CRS-123121.pdf) [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/UTG_Logo_White_Rust1200px.png?width=900&height=835&name=UTG_Logo_White_Rust1200px.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://utilityincomefund.com/) [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/UTG_Logo_Color1200px_two.png?width=900&height=835&name=UTG_Logo_Color1200px_two.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://utilityincomefund.com/) [UTG website](https://utilityincomefund.com/) [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/Reaves_Asset_Management_Logo_mobile.png?width=1000&height=135&name=Reaves_Asset_Management_Logo_mobile.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://reavesam.com/) [![Reaves Asset Management](https://insights.reavesam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ReavesAssetManagement_May2023/images/UTG_Logo_Color1200px_mobile.png?width=100&height=135&name=UTG_Logo_Color1200px_mobile.png "Reaves Asset Management")](https://utilityincomefund.com/) - About Us - [About Reaves](https://reavesam.com/about-us/) - [Philosophy and Process](https://reavesam.com/philosophy-and-process/) - [Our Team](https://reavesam.com/our-team/) - Portfolios - [Reaves Utility Income Fund](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-utility-income-fund/) - [Reaves Infrastructure Fund](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-infrastructure-fund/) - [Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-utilities-etf/) - Separately Managed Accounts - [Reaves Long Term Value Strategy](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-long-term-value-strategy/) - [Reaves Dividend Income Strategy](https://reavesam.com/our_services/reaves-dividend-income-strategy/) - Resources - [Content Library](https://reavesam.com/library/) - [Blog](https://insights.reavesam.com/blog) - [Contact](https://reavesam.com/contact-us/) - [Form CRS](https://reavesam.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Reaves-Asset-Management-Form-CRS-123121.pdf) # What You Don’t Know About Utilities May Surprise You (Clone) Published on Jun 8, 2023 10:36:03 AM #### Utilities: An Overlooked and Underappreciated Asset Class Utility stocks have traditionally been valued by many investors and advisors for their dividend yields and bond-like characteristics. But the performance of utility stocks may surprise you. Did you know that over the past 50 years, utilities have outperformed the S&P 500 Index with half the volatility?1 Or that over the last 15 months, as the S&P 500 and Bloomberg U.S. Intermediate Treasury Index each declined by more than 10%, utilities generated a positive total return of 5.1%?2 A[new paper from the utility specialists at Reaves Asset Management](https://www.virtus.com/assets/files/3cl/the_case_for_actively_managed_utilities_5818.pdf) on this often-overlooked sector — and its growth prospects — sheds some surprising light on utilities. [![2021.11 The Case for Actively Managed Utilities CTA](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/6205090/4dee7294-ab50-452b-97d8-cca71a5ed870.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/6205090/4dee7294-ab50-452b-97d8-cca71a5ed870) Tags: [Utilities](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/tag/utilities) [Back to Blog](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Related Articles [![Retirees: Keep Your Eyes on Income with CEFs](https://insights.reavesam.com/hubfs/2023.05%20Reaves%20Blog%20Keep%20Your%20Eyes%20on%20the%20Income%20with%20CEFs%20LinkedIn%201.png)](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/retirees-keep-your-eyes-on-income-with-cef-0) ## [Retirees: Keep Your Eyes on Income with CEFs (Clone)](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/retirees-keep-your-eyes-on-income-with-cef-0) In a recent blog post, we wrote about the potential opportunities and risks associated with... [Read More](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/retirees-keep-your-eyes-on-income-with-cef-0) ## [Utility Stocks Deserve Another Look](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/february-2023) Utility stocks are ignored by many investors. They are often seen as boring, slow-growth,... [Read More](https://insights.reavesam.com/chart-of-the-month/february-2023) - - - [Business Continuity Plan Summary](https://reavesam.com/business-continuity-plan-summary/) - [Terms Of Use](https://reavesam.com/terms-of-use/) - [Privacy Policy](https://reavesam.com/privacy-policy/) - [Cookie Policy](https://reavesam.com/cookie-policy/) - [Endnotes/Disclosures](https://reavesam.com/endnotes/) © Copyright 2026 Reaves Asset Management (W. H. Reaves & Co., Inc.) 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