Spinoff creates two pure-play firms

Article Excerpt

MDU RESOURCES GROUP INC. $20 is a hold. The company (New York symbol MDU; Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 203.6 million; Market cap: $4.1 billion; Dividend yield: 2.6%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.mdu.com) generates and distributes electrical power to residential and commercial customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It also operates natural gas pipelines. MDU now plans to spin off its construction division as a separate firm. That business provides contract construction services to a variety of clients, including other utilities and industrial firms. In the third quarter of 2023, it accounted for 72% of MDU’s total revenue. The company expects to complete the spinoff in late 2024. We’ll say more when MDU Resources announces the details of the split. For now, it’s a hold. hold. …