- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Hattiesburg Today
By the People, for the People
Pinnacle West Vs. Avista: Why I'm Upgrading AVA
Utility stocks update: Pinnacle West rerates to 21.9x amid a 2026 rate case risk, while Avista's data center deal boosts growth.
Mar. 15, 2026 at 11:50am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
In this article, finance professor Dr. Joseph E. Jones analyzes the investment prospects of two utility companies, Pinnacle West (PNW) and Avista Corporation (AVA). He compares the potential faster growth with greater risk for PNW versus the greater stability but slower growth for AVA. The article discusses how Pinnacle West's rate case risk in 2026 has led to a rerating, while Avista's data center deal has boosted its growth outlook.
Why it matters
This analysis provides valuable insights for investors considering utility stocks, as it highlights the tradeoffs between growth, risk, and stability in the sector. The article helps investors understand the key factors driving the performance and valuation of these two utilities, which can inform their investment decisions.
The details
Dr. Jones previously covered Pinnacle West (PNW) and Avista Corporation (AVA) in June 2025, noting that PNW offered potentially faster growth but with greater risk, while AVA had greater stability but slower growth. In this updated analysis, he discusses how Pinnacle West's upcoming 2026 rate case has led to a rerating of the stock to 21.9x, while Avista's data center deal has boosted its growth outlook.
- The article was published on 2026-03-15 at 11:50:18.
The players
Dr. Joseph E. Jones
A professor at The University of Southern Mississippi who writes independently about portfolio construction from a dividend growth investment perspective.
Pinnacle West (PNW)
A utility company that has seen its stock rerated to 21.9x amid a 2026 rate case risk.
Avista Corporation (AVA)
A utility company that has seen its growth outlook boosted by a data center deal.
What they’re saying
“I last covered Pinnacle West (NYSE: PNW ) and Avista Corporation (NYSE: AVA ) in June 2025. At that time, the comparison boiled down to potentially faster growth with greater risk for PNW vs. greater stability but slower growth”
— Dr. Joseph E. Jones, Professor
The takeaway
This analysis highlights the tradeoffs investors face when choosing between utility stocks focused on growth versus stability. Pinnacle West's upcoming rate case risk has led to a rerating, while Avista's data center deal has boosted its growth outlook. Investors must carefully weigh these factors to determine which utility stock best fits their investment objectives and risk tolerance.
