Dear Fellow Shareholders: Performance Review: We are pleased to report that your Fund had a total return (market price change plus income) of 1.9% for the first quarter of 2001. In comparison, the S&P 500 Index had a total return of -11.9%, the S&P Utilities Index -7.1%, and a composite of the S&P Utilities Index and the Lehman Utility Bond Index, reflecting the stock and bond ratio of the Fund, had a total return of -4.5%. During the first quarter of 2001, your Fund paid three monthly 6.5 cent dividends. The 6.5 cent per share monthly rate, without compounding, would be 78 cents annualized, or a 7.42% common stock dividend yield based on the March 30, 2001 closing price of $10.50 per share. That yield compares favorably with the quarter-end yield of 3.3% on the Dow Jones Utility Index and the 2.7% yield on the S&P Utilities Index. The S&P Utilities Index again outperformed broad market indexes in the first quarter, although all indexes declined on an absolute basis. Against a backdrop of generally lower corporate profitability, the average electric company enjoyed strong first-quarter growth in earnings per share. Investors also regarded the electric supply and demand imbalance evident in parts of the country as likely to support future earnings for some companies. Your Fund performed better than the S&P Utilities Index for the quarter largely because of our higher yielding holdings, relative underrepresentation of gas utilities, and our specific investment selections. The Federal Reserve Acts to Stimulate Growth: On April 17, 2001 the Federal Reserve (the Fed) lowered short-term interest rates one half of one percent for the fourth time in as many months. The easing of rates, accumulating two percentage points in relatively short order, was uncharacteristically aggressive for policymakers. In lowering the rates, the Fed noted threats to long-term economic growth in the form of higher energy prices, falling consumer confidence due to rising unemployment claims combined with the weak stock market, and an inventory overhang which is depressing corporate capital expenditures on new equipment. While the recent report of first quarter 2001 growth of 2.0% in the domestic economy partly allays fears of recession, lingering concerns about weak foreign economies, declining domestic corporate profits, and hesitant consumers are likely to keep policymakers focused on the need to maintain growth for the foreseeable future. Historically, low and declining interest rates have been positive for the valuation of utility securities. California Update--The Fork in the Road: In hindsight, the 1996 California electric industry deregulation plan was flawed. It did not anticipate rapid electricity demand growth, nor appreciate the severity of the supply lag created by new electric plant siting delays. It did not create a truly deregulated market where price signals could help lower demand or spur the creation of new sources of supply. And it did not provide a mechanism by which electric companies could enter into protective long-term supply contracts, or one by which local electric companies could recoup from consumers through higher rates the high cost of supplying electricity. Two unfortunate outcomes of the California deregulation experience are sharply higher consumer electric bills, and two utility companies (Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Edison Company) saddled with huge debts created by purchasing high priced electricity and selling it below cost. The companies have chosen to go different directions to resolve their financial crises. Pacific Gas & Electric has chosen to file Chapter 11 Bankruptcy because it believes a court will be better able to achieve a timely and reasonable resolution than the state government and utility regulators, and that the company will emerge from bankruptcy on stronger financial footing but with the same business profile. Conversely, Southern California Edison has chosen a path of negotiation and compromise and, shortly after the Pacific Gas & Electric bankruptcy filing, announced an agreement with Governor Davis of California. Southern California Edison will be a different company if the legislature and regulatory authorities implement the agreement. Among other considerations, the company's transmission system (high voltage electric wires) will be sold to the state in order to pay energy costs which it has not been able to recover, and power generated by the utility will be sold to the state at re-regulated rates for 10 years. Will the forked road meet again? It is possible that Pacific Gas & Electric could join the Southern California Edison agreement, or that Southern California Edison's agreement will not be supported by the necessary legislation and the companies will meet in bankruptcy court. Given the financial risks associated with any scenario, your Fund managers continue to believe that making investments in either company would not serve shareholder interests. REIT Review: The Fund continued to benefit from the diversification and income of its REIT holdings during the first quarter of 2001. The contractual cash flows REITs enjoy from their leases are providing a steady stream of earnings even as the economy has slowed. In fact, our analysts expect earnings growth in excess of 7.0% and dividend increases on most, if not all our REIT holdings this year. The current 7.5% average dividend yield for our REIT shares, combined with more than a 7.0% earnings growth, present a good risk/reward balance for REITs. The REIT industry is much stronger financially than it was going into the 1990-1991 economic weakness, and share prices should fare relatively well even if the economy continues in a period of slower growth. The capital markets, by limiting funding, deserve much of the credit for the enhanced corporate financial responsibility of REITs, as clearer reporting of real estate supply and demand conditions has allowed investors to mitigate the historic boom and bust nature of prior real estate cycles. New development in the pipeline as a percentage of existing stock and vacancies is also lower than in previous periods. Thus, one of the threats that landlords face in an economic slowdown, excess new and in-place supply, has been greatly reduced. Additionally, healthy rental rate growth in the last few years has created a positive spread between today's market rents and in-place rents. This is particularly evident in the high barrier-to-entry markets, to which we have a positive bias. Even if market rents declined from today's levels by a magnitude of 20-30%, landlords would still be able to generate an increase in rent when leases expire and are renewed. These increases in rental revenues would help offset any increase in vacancy if tenants elect not to renew their leases. Given the combination of lower interest rates and greater financial strength, the outlook for REIT dividend income and dividend increases remains bright. Board of Directors Meeting--At the regular April Board of Directors' meeting, the Board declared the following monthly dividends: Cents Per Share Record Date Payable Date --------------- ----------- ------------ 6.5 cents May 31 June 11 6.5 cents June 29 July 10 6.5 cents July 31 August 10 Annual Meeting of Shareholders--The annual meeting of shareholders was held April 24, 2001 in Naples, Florida. At the meeting, holders of common stock were entitled to elect two directors and holders of preferred stock were entitled to elect one director. Nominees Franklin A. Cole, Robert J. Genetski, and Francis E. Jeffries were elected to serve until the annual meeting of shareholders in 2004. 2 Also at the meeting, the Board's selection of Arthur Andersen LLP as independent public accountants for the Fund until the annual meeting in 2002 was submitted for ratification by shareholders. Arthur Andersen LLP has served as independent public accountants for the Fund since 1987 and was ratified again for the coming year. The annual meeting of shareholders marked the retirement of Director Beryl W. Sprinkel. Mr. Sprinkel served as Director of the Fund since 1995. The Board recognized and applauded Mr. Sprinkel's years of service to the Fund and excellent contribution to furthering the investment objectives of the Fund. Automatic Dividend Reinvestment Plan and Direct Deposit Service--The Fund has a dividend reinvestment plan available to all registered shareholders. As long as the market price of the common stock of the Fund exceeds or is equal to the net asset value per share, new shares for the dividend reinvestment program are issued at the greater of either 95% of the market price or the net asset value. If the market price per share of common stock is below the net asset value per share, shares are purchased in the open market at prevailing market prices, plus any brokerage commissions paid by The Bank of New York for all shares purchased by it in the reinvestment of the distribution and credited to the accounts of plan participants. Those shareholders whose shares are held by them by a brokerage house or nominee in "street name" may not participate in the Fund's automatic dividend reinvestment plan. For such shareholders desiring automatic dividend reinvestment, we suggest you contact your broker or other nominee. As an added service, the Fund offers direct deposit service through electronic funds transfer to all registered shareholders currently receiving a monthly dividend check. This service is offered through The Bank of New York. For more information and/or an authorization form on automatic dividend reinvestment or direct deposit, please contact The Bank of New York at 1-877-381-2537 or http://stock.bankofny.com. Visit us on the Web--You can obtain the most recent shareholder financial report and dividend information at our web site http://www.duffutility.com. We appreciate your interest in Duff & Phelps Utilities Income Inc., and we will continue to do our best to be of service to you. /s/ Claire V. Hansen /s/ Nathan I. Partain Claire V. Hansen, CFA Nathan I. Partain, CFA Chairman Chief Executive Officer and President 3 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 COMMON STOCKS--73.1% Market Value Shares Company (Note 1) ------ ------- ------------- [_] ELECTRIC--39.5% 1,300,000 Allegheny Energy Inc............................... $ 60,138,000 1,096,000 Dominion Resources................................. 70,659,120 1,600,000 DTE Energy Co...................................... 63,680,000 1,500,000 Duke Energy Corp................................... 64,110,000 1,593,400 Endesa S.A......................................... 26,370,770 1,005,000 Entergy Corp....................................... 38,190,000 1,400,000 Exelon Corp........................................ 91,840,000 1,299,100 FPL Group Inc...................................... 79,634,830 1,000,000 Keyspan Corp....................................... 38,130,000 215,000 National Grid Group PLC ADR........................ 8,170,000 770,000 National Grid Group PLC (United Kingdom)........... 5,900,341 2,256,600 NiSource Inc....................................... 70,225,392 1,318,600 NSTAR.............................................. 50,502,380 1,120,000 Pinnacle West Capital Corp......................... 51,374,400 1,000,000 Public Service Enterprise Group.................... 43,160,000 1,500,000 Reliant Energy Inc................................. 67,875,000 850,000 Scottish & Southern Energy (United Kingdom)........ 7,443,844 200,000 Scottish & Southern Energy ADR..................... 17,515,420 1,000,000 Scottish Power PLC ADR............................. 26,220,000 2,500,000 Southern Co........................................ 87,725,000 1,000,000 TECO Energy Inc.................................... 29,960,000 1,500,000 Vectren Corp....................................... 32,100,000 ------------- 1,030,924,497 [_] GAS--9.6% 926,000 AGL Resources...................................... 20,288,660 1,004,800 El Paso Energy Corp................................ 65,613,440 400,000 National Fuel Gas Co............................... 21,432,000 2,425,000 Utilicorp United Inc............................... 78,473,000 1,500,000 Williams Companies Inc............................. 64,275,000 ------------- 250,082,100 The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 4 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 Market Value Shares Company (Note 1) ------ ------- ------------ [_] TELECOMMUNICATION--14.3% 1,000,000 Alltell Corp........................................ $ 52,460,000 1,730,000 BellSouth Corp...................................... 70,791,600 2,137,230 SBC Communications Inc.............................. 95,384,575 700,000 Swisscom AG ADR..................................... 16,030,000 900,000 Tele-Danmark A/S ADR................................ 15,525,000 856,250 Telecom Corp. of New Zealand Interim ADR............ 15,797,813 1,068,400 Telstra Corp. ADR................................... 16,677,724 1,819,000 Verizon Communications.............................. 89,676,700 ------------ 372,343,412 [_] NON-UTILITY--9.7% 308,600 Apartment Investment & Management Co................ 13,717,270 145,400 Archstone Communities Trust ........................ 3,576,840 200,000 Avalon Bay Communities Inc.......................... 9,162,000 409,000 Boston Properties Inc............................... 15,726,050 79,900 Camden Property Trust............................... 2,656,675 347,400 CBL & Associates Properties Inc..................... 9,240,840 403,600 Centerpoint Properties Corporation.................. 18,827,940 301,000 Chelsea GCA Realty Inc.............................. 12,702,200 200,000 Developers Diversified Realty Corp.................. 2,940,000 495,000 Duke-Weeks Realty Corp.............................. 11,459,250 315,825 Equity Office Properties Trust...................... 8,843,100 200,000 Equity Residential Properties Trust................. 10,406,000 269,000 Essex Property Trust Inc............................ 12,925,450 278,100 First Industrial Realty Trust....................... 8,799,084 250,000 General Growth Properties, Inc...................... 8,737,500 200,000 Kimco Realty Corp................................... 8,600,000 60,000 Macerich Co......................................... 1,317,000 95,000 Mack-Cali Realty Corp. ............................. 2,565,000 370,600 ProLogis Trust ..................................... 7,441,648 525,100 Reckson Associates Realty Corp...................... 11,709,730 171,545 Reckson Associates Realty Corp. Class B............. 4,039,885 140,000 Green Realty Corp................................... 3,843,000 272,200 Smith Charles E. Residential Realty Inc............. 12,382,378 371,100 Spieker Properties Inc.............................. 20,354,835 The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 5 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 Market Value Shares Company (Note 1) ------ ------- ------------- 349,000 Summit Properties.................................. $ 8,550,500 465,800 Vornado Realty Trust............................... 16,689,614 104,500 Weingarten Realty Investors........................ 4,420,350 ------------- 251,634,139 ------------- Total Common Stocks (Cost--$1,613,771,146)......... 1,904,984,148 ------------- PREFERRED STOCKS--8.2% [_] NON-UTILITY--1.1% 500,000 Cox Communications Inc. 7% 8/16/02................. 29,750,000 ------------- 29,750,000 [_] UTILITY--7.1% 450,000 Dominion Resources 9 1/2% 11/16/04................. 28,021,500 700,000 Duke Capital Financing Trust III 8 3/8% 8/31/29.... 18,655,000 1,200,000 Duke Energy 8 1/4% 5/18/04......................... 32,700,000 223,500 EIX Trust II Series B 8.60% 10/29/29............... 3,408,375 550,000 MediaOne Group 7.00% 11/15/02...................... 16,780,500 500,000 NiSource Industries Inc. 7.75% 2/19/03............. 27,175,000 209,000 P P & L Capital Trust II 8.10% 7/01/27............. 5,298,150 789,100 Texas Utilities Co. 9 1/4% 8/16/02................. 36,850,970 450,900 Utilicorp United Inc. 9 3/4% 11/16/02.............. 15,353,145 ------------- 184,242,640 ------------- Total Preferred Stocks (Cost--$205,045,503) ....... 213,992,640 ------------- The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 6 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 BONDS--20.3% Ratings ------------------------------ Standard Market Fitch IBCA, and Value Par Value Company Duff & Phelps Moody's Poor's (Note 1) --------- ------- ------------- ------- -------- ---------- [_] ELECTRIC--10.9% $ 5,000,000 AES Ironwood Corp. 8.857%, due 11/30/25... Not Rated Baa3 BBB- 5,144,855 23,101,000 Alabama Power Co. 9%, due 12/01/24....... A+ A1 A 24,515,082 18,050,000 Comed Financing II 8 1/2%, due 1/15/27.... Not Rated Baa2 BBB 17,797,553 7,500,000 Commonwealth Edison Co. 9 7/8%, due 6/15/20.... A- Baa1 A- 8,470,035 8,850,000 Commonwealth Edison Co. 8 5/8%, due 2/01/22.... A- Baa1 A- 9,283,818 5,000,000 Commonwealth Edison Co. 8 3/8%, due 9/15/22.... A- Baa1 A- 5,213,975 10,000,000 Commonwealth Edison Co. 8 3/8%, due 2/15/23.... A- Baa1 A- 10,431,240 24,000,000 Dominion Resources Capital Trust 7.83%, due 12/01/27.... BBB Baa1 BBB- 22,229,232 5,000,000 Gulf States Utilities 8.94%, due 1/01/22..... BBB Baa3 BBB- 5,295,580 1,000,000 Houston Lighting 8 3/4%, due 3/01/22.... A- A3 BBB+ 1,049,603 18,800,000 Hydro--Quebec 9 3/4%, due 1/15/18.... AA- A2 A+ 20,197,554 5,000,000 Illinois Power Co. 7 1/2, due 7/15/25..... A- Baa1 BBB+ 4,853,660 5,000,000 Louisiana Power & Light Co. 8 3/4, due 3/01/26..... BBB+ Baa2 BBB 5,187,560 4,000,000 New York State Electric & Gas Corp. 8 7/8%, due 11/01/21... A A3 A 4,186,844 27,580,000 Potomac Electric Power Co. 9%, due 6/01/21........ A+ A1 A 29,007,817 The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 7 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 Ratings ------------------------------ Standard Market Fitch IBCA, and Value Par Value Company Duff & Phelps Moody's Poor's (Note 1) --------- ------- ------------- ------- -------- ----------- 10,000,000 Public Service Co. of Colorado 8 3/4%, due 3/01/22.... A A3 A 10,379,780 22,750,000 Puget Capital Trust 8.231%, due 6/01/27.... Not Rated Baa2 BBB- 21,687,347 3,000,000 Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. 9 3/8%, due 4/01/21.... A- A3 A- 3,138,858 13,000,000 Southern Co. Capital Trust 8.14%, due 2/15/27..... Not Rated A3 BBB+ 12,273,755 27,830,000 Texas Utilities Electric Co. 9 3/4%, due 5/01/21.... A- A3 BBB+ 29,275,462 12,000,000 UtiliCorp United Inc. 8%, due 3/01/23........ BBB Baa3 BBB 11,510,604 5,000,000 Virginia Electric & Power Co. 8 5/8%, due 10/01/24... A+ A2 A 5,308,875 17,700,000 Virginia Electric & Power Co. 8 1/4%, due 3/01/25.... A+ A2 A 18,389,415 ----------- 284,828,504 [_] GAS--2.4% 5,125,000 ANR Pipeline Co. 9 5/8%, due 11/01/21... Not Rated Baa1 BBB+ 6,277,259 5,000,000 KN Energy Inc. 7 1/4%, due 3/01/28.... BBB Baa2 BBB 4,867,945 10,000,000 Phillips Petroleum Co. 9.18%, due 9/15/21..... BBB Baa2 BBB 10,495,950 5,000,000 Southern California Gas Co. 8 3/4%, due 10/01/21... AA A1 AA- 5,224,430 6,488,000 Southern Union Co. 7.60%, due 2/01/24..... BBB+ Baa2 BBB+ 6,222,634 8,850,000 Southern Union Co. 8 1/4%, due 11/15/29... BBB+ Baa2 BBB+ 9,132,032 10,000,000 TE Products Pipeline Co. 7.51%, due 1/15/28..... Not Rated Baa2 BBB+ 9,087,890 9,000,000 Trans-Canada Pipeline 9 1/8%, due 4/20/06.... Not Rated A3 BBB 9,981,909 ----------- 61,290,049 The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 8 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 Ratings ------------------------------ Standard Market Fitch IBCA, and Value Par Value Company Duff & Phelps Moody's Poor's (Note 1) --------- ------- ------------- ------- -------- ----------- [_] TELECOMMUNICATION-- 5.2% 19,000,000 AT & T Corp. 8.35%, due 1/15/25..... A- A2 A 19,498,009 10,000,000 AT & T Corp. 8 3/4%, due 3/01/31.... BBB Baa2 BBB 10,075,000 25,000,000 British Telecom PLC 8 5/8%, due 12/15/30... A A2 A 25,805,850 11,350,000 France Telecom 8 1/2%, due 3/01/31.... A A3 A- 11,492,091 12,000,000 GTE California Inc. 8.07%, due 4/15/24..... AA AA3 A+ 12,226,248 17,625,000 GTE Corp. 7.90%, due 2/01/27..... A+ A2 A+ 17,851,182 13,750,000 New England Telephone & Telegraph 9%, due 8/01/31........ AA Aa2 A+ 14,616,181 9,000,000 New York Telephone Co. 7 5/8%, due 2/01/23.... AA A1 A+ 8,846,226 9,000,000 Tele-Commun Inc. 9.80%, due 2/01/12..... A- A3 A- 10,844,766 5,000,000 US West Communications 8 7/8%, due 6/01/31.... A A2 BBB+ 5,166,085 ----------- 136,421,638 [_] NON-UTILITY--1.8% 17,500,000 Contl Cablevision 9 1/2%, due 8/01/13.... Not Rated A3 A- 19,218,937 8,000,000 Dayton Hudson Corp. 9 7/8%, due 7/01/20.... A A2 A 10,277,648 19,940,000 EOP Operating LP 7 1/2%, due 4/19/29.... BBB+ Baa1 BBB+ 18,337,482 ----------- 47,834,067 ----------- Total Bonds (Cost--$540,819,370)........................ 530,374,258 ----------- The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. 9 DUFF & PHELPS UTILITIES INCOME INC. STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS--(Continued) (UNAUDITED) March 31, 2001 The accompanying note is an integral part of this financial statement. Market Value Par Value Company (Note 1) --------- ------- -------------- U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS--0.4% 7,250,000 U.S. Treasury Notes 13 3/8%, due 8/15/01......... 7,489,018 2,000,000 U.S. Treasury Bonds 10 3/4%, due 8/15/05......... 2,478,360 -------------- Total U.S. Treasury Obligations (Cost-- $10,292,188).................................... 9,967,378 -------------- U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY OBLIGATIONS--2.7% 65,000,000 Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. 9 3/4%, due 2/14/03 ........................................ 70,687,500 -------------- Total U.S. Government Agency Obligations (Cost-- $70,759,000).................................... 70,687,500 -------------- COMMERCIAL PAPER--2.8% 73,000,000 General Electric Capital Corp. 5.25%, due 4/02/01......................................... 73,000,000 -------------- Total Commercial Paper (Cost $73,000,000)........ 73,000,000 -------------- CASH AND OTHER ASSETS LESS LIABILITIES--(7.5%)............... (195,641,101) -------------- NET ASSETS (equivalent to $9.96 per share of common stock based on 211,622,795 shares of common stock outstanding, authorized 250,000,000 shares, $0.001 par value per share and 5,000 shares remarketed preferred stock outstanding, authorized 100,000,000 shares, liquidation preference $100,000 per share, $0.001 par value per share)........................... $2,607,364,823 ============== The percentage shown for each investment category is the total value of that category as a percentage of the total net assets of the Fund. -------- (1) The market values for securities are determined as follows: Securities traded on a national securities exchange or traded over-the-counter and quoted on the NASDAQ System are valued at last sales prices. Securities so traded for which there were no sales and other securities are valued at the mean of the most recent bid-asked quotations. Bonds not traded on a securities exchange nor quoted on the NASDAQ System are valued at fair value using a procedure determined in good faith by the Board of Directors which includes the use of a pricing service. Each money market instrument having a maturity of 60 days or less is valued on an amortized cost basis. Other assets and securities are valued at a fair value, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors. 10 Board of Directors WALLACE B. BEHNKE HARRY J. BRUCE FRANKLIN A. COLE GORDON B. DAVIDSON ROBERT J. GENETSKI CLAIRE V. HANSEN, CFA FRANCIS E. JEFFRIES, CFA NANCY LAMPTON DAVID J. VITALE Officers CLAIRE V. HANSEN, CFA Chairman, NATHAN I. PARTAIN, CFA President and Chief Executive Officer T. BROOKS BEITTEL, CFA Senior Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer MICHAEL SCHATT Senior Vice President JOSEPH C. CURRY, JR. Vice President DIANNA P. WENGLER Assistant Secretary Duff & Phelps Utilities Income Inc. Common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DNP 55 East Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 (312) 368-5510 Shareholder inquiries please contact Transfer Agent Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian The Bank of New York Shareholder Relations Church Street Station P.O. Box 11258 New York, New York 10286-1258 (877) 381-2537 Investment Adviser Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. 55 East Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 Administrator J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. Hilliard Lyons Center Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (888) 878-7845 Legal Counsel Mayer, Brown & Platt 190 South LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 Independent Public Accountants Arthur Andersen LLP 33 West Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 Duff & Phelps Utilities Income Inc. First Quarter Report March 31, 2001 [LOGO]