AQN ponders a split

Article Excerpt

ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES, $10.26, is a buy. The utility (Toronto symbol AQN; Shares outstanding: 688.8 million; Market cap: $7.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 5.7%; www.algonquinpower.com) has two main businesses: the Regulated Services Group provides regulated electricity, gas, water distribution and wastewater collection services in Canada, the U.S., Chile and Bermuda; and the Renewable Power Group produces electricity from about 47 clean-energy plants in North America. Algonquin is now conducting a strategic review of its renewable power operations. As well, activist investment firm Starboard Value recently disclosed that it now owns 7.5% of Algonquin. It wants the company to sell those operations. Algonquin also plans to sell $1 billion of its less-important assets. The move will let it pay down its long-term debt of $7.57 billion U.S. (as of June 30, 2023). That’s a high 1.4 times its market cap. Meanwhile, the stock yields an attractive 5.7%. Algonquin Power & Utilities is a buy. buy. …