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Compile a list of US-based "pure-play" electric distribution utilities that were recently acquired, or are publicly traded.
Hi there, and thanks for asking Wonder! I understand you'd like a list of US pure-play electric distribution utilities that were either recently acquired or are publicly traded. In short, after exhaustive research through industry articles and press releases, my research discovered only one company which meets all the request parameters: Mississippi Power Company. Below you'll find my methodology and relevant findings.
METHODOLOGY
I began by researching for a precompiled list of pure-play electric distribution companies, but this strategy did not generate any relevant results. Next, I researched third-party business information provider Owler: I first performed advanced search through the 100 public utility companies, performing deeper research on any company whose Owler profile did not immediately bar it from consideration (via explicit information about multi-channel operations). This search generated one relevant listing. Next, I performed similar search through more than 3,000 private utility companies from the same resource. This latter search generated two relevant results for pure-play electric distribution companies, but both were cooperatives and had not been recently acquired. Lastly, I researched for recent news of mergers and acquisitions in the power and utilities industry: I searched all Power & Engineering merger and acquisition news from Jan 2016 to current, and performed deeper research on companies which appeared to have potential to be pure-play electric distribution companies. This strategy did not generate any relevant results.
Although you had suggested to check financial filings in order ascertain the pure-play status of a given company, I discovered that this information was readily available through third-party information providers, including Bloomberg and Owler, and was also often available directly on the company website itself. The easy availability of this information precluded the need to check financial filings to ascertain pure-play status.
RELEVANT FINDINGS
My research discovered only one company which fit all the requested parameters: Mississippi Power Company. This company is a publicly-traded, pure-play electric distribution company. It is a subsidiary of The Southern Company.
My research also overwhelmingly discovered that nearly all companies involved in electric distribution are also involved in either transmission, generation, or both. As mentioned above, the only two private, pure-play electric distribution companies I discovered were both user-owned cooperatives, and had not been recently acquired.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
The scope of this research comprised the limit for a single Wonder request, which typically takes 2-3 hours. If you would like us to research more deeply, by conducting state-by-state research of all US electric companies, please let us know. That depth of research will likely require multiple, separate research requests to complete. However, my research for this request indicates the possibility that additional research still may not generate a significant list of companies.
CONCLUSION
To wrap it up: extensive research discovered only one company which met all the request parameters, Mississippi Power Company. Thanks so much for using Wonder! Please let us know if we can assist you further, on this topic or any other.