Earn predictable income with Fortis

Article Excerpt

FORTIS INC. $60 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol FTS; Conservative & Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 472.9 million; Market cap: $28.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield 3.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.fortisinc.com) is the main supplier of electrical power in Newfoundland and PEI. Fortis also owns electrical utilities across Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean, and distributes natural gas in B.C., Arizona and New York State. In the three months ended December 31, 2021, revenue rose 10.1%, to $2.58 billion from $2.35 billion a year earlier. That gain reflects the recent higher power and gas rates in B.C. and the U.S., as well as improving power demand in the Caribbean. The company’s overall earnings before unusual items fell 6.3%, to $300 million from $320 million a year earlier. Due to more shares outstanding, per-share earnings declined at a faster rate of 8.7%, to $0.63 from $0.69. The lower earnings were partly due to unfavourable weather conditions and exchange rates. Fortis now plans to…