Empire spurs Algonquin

Article Excerpt

ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES $13.43 (Toronto symbol AQN; Shares outstanding: 273.3 million; Market cap: $5.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 4.4%; www.algonquinpower.com) completed its biggest acquisition to date in January 2017—the $3.4 billion purchase of Missouri-based Empire District Electric. In the quarter ended June 30, 2017, Empire pushed up Algonquin’s revenue by 103.5%, to $453.2 million from $222.8 million a year earlier. Cash flow jumped 54.3%, to $119.6 million from $77.5 million. Cash flow per share rose 6.9%, to $0.31 from $0.29, on more shares outstanding from the Empire purchase. Growth by acquisition adds risk. But Algonquin cuts that risk by buying profitable utilities. Its renewable energy projects also sell their power under long-term government-guaranteed contracts. The stock trades at 12.8 times the company’s forecast 2017 cash flow of $1.05 a share. The shares yield 4.4%. Algonquin Power & Utilities is still a buy. buy…