Good time to buy more Enbridge

Article Excerpt

Enbridge, like all high-yielding utility stocks, has struggled in the past year as rising interest rates increase the appeal of competing bonds. Higher interest rates also make it more expensive for the company to make acquisitions and fund new growth projects. However, Enbridge’s rate-regulated operations give it plenty of steady cash flow to service its debt. In fact, the upcoming purchase of three U.S. regulated gas utilities further cuts its risk. The additional cash flow from those new operations will also let Enbridge continue its 29-year streak of annual dividend increases. ENBRIDGE INC. $47 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol ENB; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $94.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 7.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines that pump oil and natural gas from Western Canada eastward as well as to the U.S. Its network transports 30% of the crude oil produced in North America, and 20% of the natural gas consumed in…