Pipeline operators shift to smaller projects

Article Excerpt

Enbridge and TransCanada are facing strong opposition to their big pipeline proposals, so they’re focusing on smaller projects instead. This will give both companies more cash for dividends, but we feel TransCanada is the better buy right now. ENBRIDGE INC. $43 (Toronto symbol ENB; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 867.6 million; Market cap: $37.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 4.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.enbridge.com) received regulatory approval for its $7.9-billion Northern Gateway pipeline in June 2014. This project would pump crude from Alberta to Kitimat, B.C. From there, tankers would ship it to customers in Asia. However, Ottawa recently banned oil tankers off the northern B.C. coast. Meanwhile, Enbridge is making progress on its ambitious $38-billion growth plan, which includes expanding its oil and gas pipelines and wind farms. The company will finish building these projects between 2016 and 2019. Customers have already signed $25 billion worth of contracts to use these operations, which…