Merger spurs Enbridge dividend

Article Excerpt

ENBRIDGE INC. $57 (Toronto symbol ENB; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $91.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; Dividend yield: 4.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines that pump oil and natural gas from Western Canada to eastern Canada and the U.S. It also distributes gas to over 2 million consumers in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. In February 2017, the company completed its all-stock purchase of Spectra Energy. That firm operates crude oil and natural gas pipelines in the U.S. and Canada. It also owns oil and gas storage facilities. Thanks to savings from this merger, Enbridge has increased its quarterly dividend by 4.6%, to $0.61 a share from $0.583. The new annual rate of $2.44 yields 4.3%. The company also expects to raise the annual dividend rate by 10% to 12% each year from 2018 to 2024. However, big acquisitions like Spectra add risk. Enbridge is still a hold. hold…