Why slowing dividend growth is good news

Article Excerpt

To conserve cash for new projects, Emera has slowed the pace of its planned dividend hikes. However, the new policy will make the payment more sustainable. At the same time, the company’s new projects will spur its growth. EMERA INC. $54 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol EMA; Income-Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 292.8 million; Market cap: $15.8 billion; Dividend yield: 5.4%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.emera.com) owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier. It also owns 100% of Teco Energy, which supplies electricity and natural gas to 1.33 million customers in Tampa Bay, Florida. Emera now plans to increase its annual dividend by between 1% and 2% annually, down from its previous target of 4% to 5%. Under that new policy, starting with the November 2024 payment, Emera raised your quarterly dividend by 1.0%. Investors now receive $0.725 a share instead of $0.7175. The annual rate of $2.90 yields a high 5.4%. The Tampa electric business supplies 54% of Emera’s…