enbridge

IBM $172.88 (New York symbol IBM; Shares outstanding: 950.9 million; Market cap: $164.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 3.2%; www.ibm.com) is one of the world’s largest computer companies, with operations in over 175 countries.


IBM will now form a new company with big Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda....

A: Dividend 15 Split Corp., $10.85, symbol DFN on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 34.7 million; Market cap: $376.5 million; www.dividend15.com), is a split-share investment corporation that holds shares of 15 companies: BCE Inc., CI Financial Corporation, Bank of Nova Scotia, Thomson Reuters, National Bank of Canada, TransAlta Corporation, Sun Life Financial, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, TransCanada Corporation, Manulife Financial, TD Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, Telus Corporation and Enbridge.


The company can also invest up to 15% of its portfolio in other stocks.


Dividend 15 Split Corp....

ENBRIDGE INC. $55.27 (Toronto symbol ENB; Shares outstanding: 934.2 million; Market cap: $52.7 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.2%; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines that pump oil and natural gas from Western Canada to eastern Canada and the U.S....

Northland Power Inc. saw revenue climb in the latest quarter as new projects started up, although higher construction costs cut cash flow.

CANADIAN UTILITIES LTD. $37 (www.canadianutilities.com) distributes electricity and natural gas in Alberta and Australia. The company has raised its quarterly dividend by 10.0%, to $0.3575 a share from $0.325. The new annual rate of $1.43 yields 3.9%. Buy.


ATCO LTD....

ENBRIDGE INC. $55.14 (Toronto symbol ENB; Shares outstanding: 934.2 million; Market cap: $52.3 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.2%; www.enbridge.com) will buy Spectra Energy Corporation (New York symbol SE) for $37 billion in Enbridge stock.


Spectra operates 143,520 kilometres of crude oil and natural gas pipelines in the U.S....

In the past two years, several of Canada’s leading utility companies have used acquisitions to expand in the U.S.


That kind of strategy tends to add risk. However, the three companies we analyze below have bought regulated utilities. Predictable revenue streams from these new businesses will help them pay down the loans they needed to complete those purchases.


What’s more, the elimination of overlapping operations will free up cash for dividends....

These six ETFs hold mostly blue-chip stocks that are widely traded on Canadian and U.S. exchanges. Each ETF mirrors, or tracks, the performance of a major stock market index. That’s different from narrower indexes that focus on resources or themes such as solar power or biotech.


Of course, you pay brokerage commissions to buy and sell these ETFs....

FORTIS INC. $41 (Toronto symbol FTS; Income-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares o/s: 399.8 million; Market cap: $16.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; Dividend yield 3.9%; www.fortisinc.com) is the main power utility in Newfoundland and PEI....

Enbridge and TransCanada continue to face strong political and environmental opposition to their proposed oil pipeline projects in Canada.

In response, both firms are expanding in the U.S. with big acquisitions. While that adds to their risk, we feel both purchases will fuel their growth for years to come....