EMERA INC. $47

EMERA INC. $47 (Toronto symbol EMA; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 148.2 million; Market cap: $6.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 4.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.emera .com) owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier. It also owns power utilities in the U.S. and the Caribbean. In September 2015, the company agreed to buy Teco Energy (New York symbol TE). This firm supplies electricity and natural gas to 1.05 million customers in Tampa Bay, Florida. A separate subsidiary distributes gas to 510,000 customers in New Mexico. Emera will pay $10.4 billion U.S., including Teco’s debt. It expects to complete the purchase in mid-2016. Factoring out unusual items, including legal fees related to the Teco acquisition, Emera earned $137.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016. That’s down 19.8% from $171.6 million a year earlier. Due to more shares outstanding, per-share earnings fell 21.2%, to $0.93 from $1.18. Revenue declined 1.3%, to $877.0 million from $888.5 million. The lower earnings are mainly because storm damage increased costs. As well, a milder winter hurt electricity sales. Without Teco, Emera should earn $2.42 a share in 2016. The stock trades at 19.4 times that estimate. The $1.90 dividend yields 4.0%. Emera is our top Income buy for 2016.

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.