East coast utilities seek new horizons

Article Excerpt

These two utilities continue to expand beyond Atlantic Canada. That adds to their appeal, but only one is a buy right now. FORTIS INC. $31 (Toronto symbol FTS; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 211.7 million; Market cap: $6.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.8; Dividend yield 4.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.fortis.ca) is the main electricity supplier in Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. It also distributes natural gas in B.C. and operates power plants in other parts of Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean. On June 27, 2013, Fortis paid $1.5 billion U.S. for CH Energy, which distributes gas and electricity in New York State. Without costs related to this acquisition and other unusual items, Fortis earned $61 million, or $0.32 a share, in the second quarter of 2013. That’s down 10.3% from $68 million, or $0.36, a year earlier. The decline is mainly due to lower rates and volumes at its B.C. gas utility. Revenue fell 0.3%, to $790…