Innergex plans to convert

Article Excerpt

INNERGEX POWER INCOME FUND $10.74 (Toronto symbol IEF.UN; Shares outstanding: 29.4 million; Market cap: $315.8 million; SI Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield 9.3%) plans to convert to a corporation by merging with Innergex Renewable Resources (Toronto symbol INE). Innergex Power unitholders will get 1.46 shares of the new company. The combined company will own 326 megawatts of power capacity, with 128 additional megawatts starting up over the next two years. Hydroelectric plants will generate about 73% of its power, and 27% will come from wind farms. The combined company has contracts averaging 17 years in place for all of its production. The new company will pay a dividend of $0.85 a year, down from the current distribution of $1.00 a year. However, after factoring in the Canadian dividend tax credit, the after-tax return for unitholders will be roughly the same. Innergex Power Income Fund is a buy. buy…