Updating EMERA INC. and TORSTAR CORP.

Article Excerpt

EMERA INC. $33 (www.emera.com) earned $259.4 million in 2013, up 12.5% from $230.5 million in 2012. Due to more shares outstanding, earnings per share rose just 6.0%, to $1.96 from $1.85. Revenue rose 8.3%, to $2.2 billion from $2.1 billion. These increases are mainly due to Emera’s April 2013 purchase of three gas-fired power plants in New England. Higher power rates and demand in Nova Scotia also contributed to the gains. Best Buy. TORSTAR CORP. $5.12 (www.torstar.com) continues to cut costs as more people get their news from the Internet. This secular trend is working against newspapers and print advertising. As a result, we’ve cut Torstar’s TSINetwork Rating from “Above Average” to “Average”. However, we feel its lower costs put it in a good position to rebound as the economy grows. The company also owns one-of-a-kind trophy assets such as The Toronto Star, and it could unlock some of its hidden value by spinning off its Harlequin book business. As…