Emera swells on sale of assets

Article Excerpt

EMERA INC. $44 (Toronto symbol EMA; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 200.5 million; Market cap: $8.8 billion; Price-tosales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 4.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. emera.com) owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier. It also owns utilities in the U.S. and the Caribbean. The company recently completed its purchase of Teco Energy for $13.9 billion. This firm supplies electricity and natural gas to customers in Tampa Bay, Florida. It also distributes gas in New Mexico. To help pay for Teco, Emera has sold its remaining 4.7% stake in Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. (Toronto symbol AQN), a recommendation of our Canadian Wealth Advisor newsletter. That firm provides water, electricity and gas to customers in Canada and the U.S. Emera received $142.0 million for its Algonquin shares. Emera is our top Income buy for 2016. 2016…