UPDATE: Bank of America Upgrades American Electric Power Company to Buy

Bank of America raised its rating on American Electric Power Company

from Neutral to Buy and increased its price objective from $42 to $46 following the favorable resolution to the Ohio ESP. Bank of America commented, "Yesterday's Public Utility Commission of Ohio order on AEP's Electric Security Plan is better than we had expected. In our view it gives AEP more earnings upside and largely reduces near-term risk as the company transitions fully to market by mid-2015. The rate plan keeps base generation rates flat and implements a Rate Stabilization Rider (RSR) of $500M over 3 years meant to ensure AEP receives adequate returns in the state. The greater assurance that it will avoid financial difficulty through 2015, coupled with a discount relative to its peers makes us take a more favorable view on the stock." American Electric Power Company closed at $42.35 on Wednesday.