These utilities tap into rising power demand

Article Excerpt

Demand for electrical power in Canada continues to rise due to several factors. Those include an expanding population and the shift to electric-powered cars. Moreover, the construction of new datacentres to handle power-intense artificial intelligence will also spur electricity demand. A good way for investors to tap those trends is with these three high-quality power utilities. As well, regulators set the rates they charge high enough to give them enough cash to invest in new projects, service their debt and pay dependable dividends. The likelihood that the Bank of Canada will soon cut interest rates also adds to their appeal. FORTIS INC. $55 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol FTS; Conservative & Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 493.0 million; Market cap: $27.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 4.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.fortisinc.com) is the main supplier of electrical power in Newfoundland and PEI. It also owns electrical utilities across Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean. In addition, the company distributes natural…