Big acquisition set to spur Innergex dividend

Article Excerpt

INNERGEX RENEWABLE ENERGY INC. $15 (Toronto symbol INE; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 108.6 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Dividend yield 4.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.innergex.com) operates 31 hydroelectric plants, 21 wind farms and one solar power field. The company gets 52% of its power from hydro, 45% from wind and 3% from solar. It has a total generating capacity of 1,093 megawatts. Innergex began operating in 1990, but waited until 2003 to sell shares to the public (as Innergex Power Income Fund). In 2010, the fund converted to a regular corporation. With the April 2017 payment, Innergex raised its quarterly dividend by 3.1%, to $0.165 a share from $0.16. The new annual rate of $0.66 yields a high 4.4%. Prudent expansion strategy The company has steadily expanded its operations in the past few years. To cut its risk, Innergex makes sure it has firm long-term power-purchase contracts in place before it starts to build, or buy, new…