Veresen to power Pembina dividend

Article Excerpt

PEMBINA PIPELINE CORP. $44 (Toronto symbol PPL; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 400.0 million; Market cap: $17.6 billion; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.9%; www.pembina.com) has agreed to buy VERESEN INC. $19 (Toronto symbol VSN). Under the deal, Veresen investors can choose either $18.65 in cash or 0.4287 shares of Pembina for each share they hold. However, Pembina has capped the total amount of cash it will pay. As a result, most Veresen shareholders will get $4.8494 in cash and 0.3172 of a Pembina share. Following the purchase, Pembina will raise its monthly dividend by 5.9%, to $0.18 from $0.17. The new annual rate of $2.16 will yield 4.9%. We recommend that Veresen investors select the all-stock option. However, if Pembina already accounts for a large portion of your portfolio, you should opt for the cash. Pembina is a top buy for 2017. Veresen is now a hold. hold…