Green energy fuels these high-yield dividends

Article Excerpt

ALGONQUIN POWER & UTILITIES $14 (Toronto symbol AQN; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 387.0 million; Market cap: $5.4 billion; Dividend yield: 4.2%; Divd. Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.algonquinpower.com) operates through two main businesses: The Generation Group produces and sells electricity from 35 clean energy facilities across North America; the Distribution Group provides regulated electricity, natural gas, water distribution and wastewater collection services. The company last raised its dividend in January 2017. Investors now receive quarterly payments of $0.1165 U.S. a share, up 10.0% from $0.1059 U.S. The new annual rate of $0.466 U.S. yields 4.2%. Algonquin recently entered into a joint venture with Abengoa, S.A., a Spanish company that builds and operates energy generation plants. Together, the partners will build clean energy and water infrastructure assets. As part of that agreement, Algonquin purchased 25% equity interest in Atlantica Yield plc (Nasdaq symbol ABY) from Abengoa for $608 million U.S. Atlantica owns 21 power facilities in North and South America. It…