New projects will let them raise their payouts

Article Excerpt

Utility firms like Enbridge and Fortis continue to invest big sums in new projects and upgrades to their current operations. Regulators will let them pass along those costs to their customers, which cut the risk of these big investments. Predictable cash flows also give the companies plenty of room to keep raising their dividends. ENBRIDGE INC. $51 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol ENB; Income-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $102.0 billion; Dividend yield: 6.6%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.enbridge.com) operates pipelines pumping oil and natural gas from Western Canada to the east and to the U.S. It also distributes gas to 3.8 million consumers in Ontario and Quebec. With the March 2021 payment, Enbridge increased its quarterly dividend by 3.1%, to $0.835 a share from $0.81. The new annual rate of $3.34 yields a high 6.6%. In September 2021, Enbridge agreed to acquire Moda Midstream Operating LLC for $3.0 billion. The company operates one of the leading light crude…