Debt holds back Enbridge

Article Excerpt

ENBRIDGE INC. $39.46 (Toronto symbol ENB; Shares outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $65.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 6.8%; www.enbridge.com) has dropped 21% since the start of the year. In February 2017, the company completed its $37 billion acquisition of Spectra Energy in the U.S. As a result of that purchase, Enbridge’s long-term debt jumped to $60.9 billion as of December 31, 2017. That’s a high 93% of the company’s $65.3 billion market cap (the total value of all outstanding shares). While the extra cash flow from Spectra will help Enbridge service that debt, rising interest rates will add to its costs. Even so, Enbridge still plans to raise its dividend rate by 10% each year through 2020. The shares currently yield a high 6.8%. Enbridge is a hold. hold…