Enbridge moves to strengthen balance sheet

Article Excerpt

ENBRIDGE INC. $49 (Toronto symbol ENB; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $98.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 6.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines that pump oil and natural gas from Western Canada to eastern Canada and the U.S. It also distributes gas to consumers in Ontario, Quebec, and New York State. In February 2017, the company completed its $37 billion all-stock purchase of Spectra Energy. That firm operates crude oil and natural gas pipelines in the U.S. and Canada. It also owns oil and gas storage facilities. As a result of that purchase, Enbridge’s long-term debt jumped to $63.5 billion as of September 30, 2018. That’s a high 65% of its market cap. To help pay down its debt, the company will sell $7.5 billion worth of its less-important operations. It expects to complete those sales in the first half of 2019. Enbridge has also simplified its operations by acquiring minority stakes in four partnerships…