Dividend history offsets new carbon taxes

Article Excerpt

CANADIAN UTILITIES LTD. (Toronto symbols CU [class A non-voting] $31 and CU.X [class B voting] $31; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 265.2 million; Market cap: $8.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 4.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canadianutilities.com) is down 24% in the past year, largely due to concerns over Alberta’s slowing economy and new carbon taxes. However, most of the company’s 11 plants in the province generate power by burning natural gas, which produces fewer emissions than coal. Meanwhile, Canadian Utilities has raised its quarterly dividend by 10.2%, to $0.325 a share from $0.295. The new annual rate of $1.30 yields 4.2%. The company has now raised its payout each year since 1972. Canadian Utilities class A stock is a buy. buy. …