Buy these two for high, steady yields

Article Excerpt

BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. $26.32 (Toronto symbol BEP.UN; Units outstanding: 104.7 million; Market cap: $2.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 5.2%; www.brpfund.com) has finished merging its assets with the extensive hydroelectric and wind power holdings of Brookfield Asset Management (symbol BAM on Toronto). Brookfield Renewable now owns 170 hydroelectric generating stations, three wind farms and two natural-gas-fired plants. It has 4,536 megawatts of generating capacity in total. Roughly 40% of Brookfield Renewable’s generating capacity is in Canada, with another 40% in the U.S. and 20% in Brazil. The company sells virtually all of its power under agreements that are an average of 24 years in length. Brookfield Renewable’s outlook is positive. The units now trade at 14.5 times this year’s forecast cash flow per share of $1.82. The company has just raised its distribution to $1.38 per unit from $1.30. That gives it a 5.2% yield. It pays out just 76% of cash flow as distributions, so that high yield looks…