As Trump Tariffs Spark Panic, Investors Rush Into These 5 'Recession-Proof' ETFs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 08 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Market Reaction to Economic Uncertainty: Wall Street is experiencing its worst sell-off since the 2020 pandemic, leading investors to seek safety in defensive sectors like consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare through ETFs, as concerns about U.S.-China trade tensions and a potential recession grow.
Investment Strategies Amidst Volatility: With rising fears of a recession and increased tariffs, strategies focusing on dividend-oriented ETFs and value investing are gaining traction, as investors prioritize limiting losses over seeking gains.
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Analyst Views on PCG
Wall Street analysts forecast PCG stock price to rise
11 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 17.560
Low
18.00
Averages
21.36
High
25.00
Current: 17.560
Low
18.00
Averages
21.36
High
25.00
About PCG
PG&E Corporation is a holding company. The Company's primary operating subsidiary is Pacific Gas and Electric Company (the Utility), a public utility operating in Northern and Central California. The Utility is engaged in the sale and delivery of electricity and natural gas to customers. The Utility generates electricity and provides electric transmission and distribution services throughout its service area in northern and central California to residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural customers. The Utility provides electricity, transmission, and distribution services in its service area. The Utility owns approximately 18,000 circuit miles of interconnected transmission lines operating at voltages ranging from 60 kilovolts (kV) to 500 kV. The Utility also operates 33 electric transmission substations with a capacity of approximately 67,000 megavolt amperes (MVA). Customers can also obtain electricity from alternative providers such as municipalities (CCAs).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
PG&E Partners with SPAN to Enhance Electrification Solutions
- Strategic Partnership: PG&E Corporation announced a strategic partnership with SPAN on February 5, 2026, to deploy the SPAN Edge solution, aimed at reducing the complexity and cost of residential electrification, which is expected to significantly enhance customer electrification experiences.
- Market Opportunity: PG&E estimates that over 600,000 homes within its service area may require electrification upgrades over the next decade, highlighting a substantial market opportunity that will drive the company's pivotal role in the electrification process.
- Cost Efficiency: The newly launched PanelBoost program pairs SPAN Edge with next-generation metering infrastructure, with estimated installation costs for customers ranging from $500 to $2,000, showcasing PG&E's focus on capital efficiency and customer affordability compared to traditional upgrades costing $6,000 to $40,000.
- Grid Modernization: PG&E is committed to grid reliability, clean energy integration, and infrastructure modernization to meet the increasing load demands in California due to the electrification of buildings and transportation, ensuring the achievement of long-term electrification goals.
See More
PG&E Prepares for Winter Storm Impact with Enhanced Resources
- Winter Storm Alert: A powerful winter storm is forecasted to begin on February 16, 2026, bringing widespread rain and low-elevation snow with wind gusts up to 60 mph, potentially causing damage to electric equipment and outages in typically unaffected areas.
- Emergency Response Planning: PG&E is activating its Emergency Operations Center and developing resource and preparedness plans to ensure a safe and efficient response to weather-related damage, demonstrating the company's strong commitment to customer safety.
- AI Utilization: PG&E's expanded use of AI and machine-learning enhanced weather models integrates real-time atmospheric data and historical outage patterns to strategically pre-position electric equipment and crews, thereby improving restoration efficiency.
- Customer Communication and Safety Tips: PG&E encourages customers to monitor weather updates, prepare for possible outages, and take necessary safety precautions, ensuring safety during the storm while providing updates on outage status and estimated restoration times.
See More
PG&E Prepares for Upcoming Winter Storm with Enhanced Resources
- Winter Storm Warning: A powerful winter storm is forecasted to begin on February 16, 2026, bringing widespread rain and low-elevation snow, prompting PG&E to pre-position resources to address potential damage to electric equipment and power outages, ensuring customer safety.
- Meteorological Predictions: PG&E meteorologists predict wind gusts up to 60 mph and rainfall ranging from 0.5 to 3 inches, particularly in mountainous and coastal regions, which could lead to outages in areas not typically affected by such weather.
- AI Utilization: PG&E's expanded use of artificial intelligence and machine-learning enhanced weather models provides early insights into storm impacts on electric infrastructure, allowing for strategic pre-placement of crews and equipment to streamline restoration efforts.
- Customer Safety Tips: PG&E encourages customers to monitor weather updates and prepare for outages, providing safety recommendations such as using flashlights instead of candles during outages to mitigate fire hazards.
See More
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Market Trends: There has been a significant selloff in software stocks, particularly affecting software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.
Cultural References: Various playful terms have emerged to describe the situation, such as "SaaSpocalypse," highlighting the dramatic nature of the declines.
Timing of Declines: The downturn in software stocks began in January, indicating that the issues are not solely recent developments.
Naming Challenges: Attempts to create catchy phrases to describe the selloff, like "Valentine’s Day SaaSsacre" and "SaaSquatch," have faced challenges in relevance and accuracy.
See More
PG&E Reports Strong Q4 2025 Earnings with EPS Growth and Strategic Initiatives
- Core Earnings Growth: PG&E reported a core earnings per share of $1.50 for 2025, reflecting a 10% increase over 2024, marking the company's fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, which underscores its robust profitability.
- 2026 Guidance Raised: The company tightened its 2026 core EPS guidance to a range of $1.64 to $1.66, implying a 10% growth, further solidifying its growth outlook with expectations of over 9% annual growth from 2027 through 2030.
- Customer Bill Reductions: PG&E achieved its fourth electric rate reduction in two years, resulting in bundled residential electric rates being 11% lower than January 2024, which is expected to enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen market competitiveness.
- New Technology Partnership: PG&E launched the Emberpoint initiative in collaboration with Lockheed Martin to accelerate the deployment of wildfire solutions at the lowest societal cost, which is anticipated to provide long-term cost savings and service improvements for customers.
See More
Pacific Gas and Electric Company Reports Strong 2025 Earnings and Strategic Outlook
- Core Earnings Growth: Pacific Gas and Electric Company reported a core earnings per share of $1.50 for 2025, reflecting a 10% increase over 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, which underscores the company's commitment to safe, reliable, and affordable service.
- 2026 Guidance Raised: The company has tightened its 2026 core EPS guidance to a range of $1.64 to $1.66, implying a 10% growth, which reflects confidence in future performance and a commitment to investors.
- Safety and Reliability Improvements: In 2025, the company achieved a 43% reduction in serious injuries and fatalities, alongside a 19% improvement in system reliability, enhancing customer satisfaction and building greater brand trust.
- Rate Reductions and Customer Benefits: The company has implemented its fourth electric rate reduction in two years, resulting in an 11% decrease in residential bills compared to 2024, which not only alleviates customer burdens but also lays the groundwork for future economic growth and investment attractiveness.
See More
PG&E Partners with SPAN to Enhance Electrification Solutions
- Strategic Partnership: PG&E Corporation announced a strategic partnership with SPAN on February 5, 2026, to deploy the SPAN Edge solution, aimed at reducing the complexity and cost of residential electrification, which is expected to significantly enhance customer electrification experiences.
- Market Opportunity: PG&E estimates that over 600,000 homes within its service area may require electrification upgrades over the next decade, highlighting a substantial market opportunity that will drive the company's pivotal role in the electrification process.
- Cost Efficiency: The newly launched PanelBoost program pairs SPAN Edge with next-generation metering infrastructure, with estimated installation costs for customers ranging from $500 to $2,000, showcasing PG&E's focus on capital efficiency and customer affordability compared to traditional upgrades costing $6,000 to $40,000.
- Grid Modernization: PG&E is committed to grid reliability, clean energy integration, and infrastructure modernization to meet the increasing load demands in California due to the electrification of buildings and transportation, ensuring the achievement of long-term electrification goals.
See More
PG&E Prepares for Winter Storm Impact with Enhanced Resources
- Winter Storm Alert: A powerful winter storm is forecasted to begin on February 16, 2026, bringing widespread rain and low-elevation snow with wind gusts up to 60 mph, potentially causing damage to electric equipment and outages in typically unaffected areas.
- Emergency Response Planning: PG&E is activating its Emergency Operations Center and developing resource and preparedness plans to ensure a safe and efficient response to weather-related damage, demonstrating the company's strong commitment to customer safety.
- AI Utilization: PG&E's expanded use of AI and machine-learning enhanced weather models integrates real-time atmospheric data and historical outage patterns to strategically pre-position electric equipment and crews, thereby improving restoration efficiency.
- Customer Communication and Safety Tips: PG&E encourages customers to monitor weather updates, prepare for possible outages, and take necessary safety precautions, ensuring safety during the storm while providing updates on outage status and estimated restoration times.
See More
PG&E Prepares for Upcoming Winter Storm with Enhanced Resources
- Winter Storm Warning: A powerful winter storm is forecasted to begin on February 16, 2026, bringing widespread rain and low-elevation snow, prompting PG&E to pre-position resources to address potential damage to electric equipment and power outages, ensuring customer safety.
- Meteorological Predictions: PG&E meteorologists predict wind gusts up to 60 mph and rainfall ranging from 0.5 to 3 inches, particularly in mountainous and coastal regions, which could lead to outages in areas not typically affected by such weather.
- AI Utilization: PG&E's expanded use of artificial intelligence and machine-learning enhanced weather models provides early insights into storm impacts on electric infrastructure, allowing for strategic pre-placement of crews and equipment to streamline restoration efforts.
- Customer Safety Tips: PG&E encourages customers to monitor weather updates and prepare for outages, providing safety recommendations such as using flashlights instead of candles during outages to mitigate fire hazards.
See More
"Exploring Vibe-Coding in Gas Town: A Guide to the Software Market Decline Featuring 4 Attractive Stock Selections."
Market Trends: There has been a significant selloff in software stocks, particularly affecting software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies.
Cultural References: Various playful terms have emerged to describe the situation, such as "SaaSpocalypse," highlighting the dramatic nature of the declines.
Timing of Declines: The downturn in software stocks began in January, indicating that the issues are not solely recent developments.
Naming Challenges: Attempts to create catchy phrases to describe the selloff, like "Valentine’s Day SaaSsacre" and "SaaSquatch," have faced challenges in relevance and accuracy.
See More
PG&E Reports Strong Q4 2025 Earnings with EPS Growth and Strategic Initiatives
- Core Earnings Growth: PG&E reported a core earnings per share of $1.50 for 2025, reflecting a 10% increase over 2024, marking the company's fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, which underscores its robust profitability.
- 2026 Guidance Raised: The company tightened its 2026 core EPS guidance to a range of $1.64 to $1.66, implying a 10% growth, further solidifying its growth outlook with expectations of over 9% annual growth from 2027 through 2030.
- Customer Bill Reductions: PG&E achieved its fourth electric rate reduction in two years, resulting in bundled residential electric rates being 11% lower than January 2024, which is expected to enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen market competitiveness.
- New Technology Partnership: PG&E launched the Emberpoint initiative in collaboration with Lockheed Martin to accelerate the deployment of wildfire solutions at the lowest societal cost, which is anticipated to provide long-term cost savings and service improvements for customers.
See More
Pacific Gas and Electric Company Reports Strong 2025 Earnings and Strategic Outlook
- Core Earnings Growth: Pacific Gas and Electric Company reported a core earnings per share of $1.50 for 2025, reflecting a 10% increase over 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, which underscores the company's commitment to safe, reliable, and affordable service.
- 2026 Guidance Raised: The company has tightened its 2026 core EPS guidance to a range of $1.64 to $1.66, implying a 10% growth, which reflects confidence in future performance and a commitment to investors.
- Safety and Reliability Improvements: In 2025, the company achieved a 43% reduction in serious injuries and fatalities, alongside a 19% improvement in system reliability, enhancing customer satisfaction and building greater brand trust.
- Rate Reductions and Customer Benefits: The company has implemented its fourth electric rate reduction in two years, resulting in an 11% decrease in residential bills compared to 2024, which not only alleviates customer burdens but also lays the groundwork for future economic growth and investment attractiveness.
See More
