A: Preferred shares behave more like long-term fixed-income instruments rather than short-term instruments. So, while short-term interest rates are still relatively low, the outlook for long-term interest rates is less certain.

The underlying credit quality of preferred share issuers can be a negative factor in some… Read More

Emera’s shares hit an all-time high just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the stock market downturn in March 2020. We feel the stock will regain that peak and move even higher.

That’s partly because the power generator is replacing its coal-fired plants with… Read More

A: Preferred shares behave more like long-term fixed-income instruments rather than short-term instruments. So while short-term interest rates are still relatively low, the outlook for long-term interest rates is less certain.

The underlying credit quality of preferred share issuers can be a negative factor in some… Read More

This diversified Canadian utility plans to raise its annual dividend rate between 4% and 5% each year through 2021. That’s down from its previous 8% target, but this more modest growth conserves cash for new projects and pays down debt.

That’s why this company has our… Read More

EMERA INC. $44 (Toronto symbol EMA; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares o/s: 233.0 million; Market cap: $10.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.7; Divd. yield: 5.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.emera.com) has spent $2 billion in the past year on new projects. Those include its 49.5%-owned Labrador Island Link, which… Read More

Emera now plans to raise its annual dividend rate between 4% and 5% each year through 2021. That’s down from its previous aim to raise the dividend 8% annually through 2020.
The company cut that growth target to conserve cash for new projects and pay down… Read More

Rising interest rates generally reduce the appeal of income stocks, including utilities. However, recent acquisitions by these four industry leaders—and their new projects—set them up for years of higher dividends.
CANADIAN UTILITIES LTD. (Toronto symbols CU [class A non-voting] $31 and CU.X [class B voting] $31; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector;… Read More

BCE INC. $51 (Toronto symbol BCE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 898.0 million; Market cap: $45.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 5.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bce.ca) stands to gain from the new trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada (called… Read More

EMERA INC., $41.93, Toronto symbol EMA, owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier. It also holds interests in several power plants and natural gas pipelines in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

The company will now raise its quarterly dividend by 4.0%. Starting… Read More