Enbridge targets LNG

Article Excerpt

ENBRIDGE, $48.39, is a buy. The firm (Toronto symbol ENB; Shares o/s: 2.1 billion; Market cap: $103.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Yield: 7.6%; www.enbridge.com) has agreed to join a new joint venture that will build and operate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The venture will help supply gas from the Permian Basin region in West Texas to terminals that export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to other markets. Enbridge will contribute its proposed Rio Bravo pipeline and $350 million U.S. in cash. It will also fund the first $150 million U.S. in costs to build the pipeline, which should begin operating in 2026. In exchange, the company will receive a 19.0% stake in the new venture. It will also retain a 25.0% stake in the Rio Bravo pipeline. The deal helps cut the risk of building this new project. As well, long-term shipping contracts account for 98% of the combined system’s capacity and will immediately add to Enbridge’s cash flow. Enbridge…