Topic: How To Invest

Pat: I would appreciate your assessment of Crius Energy Trust. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Crius Energy Trust, $7.81, symbol KWH.UN on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 16.7 million; Market cap: $126.4 million; www.criusenergytrust.ca), owns 26.8% of Connecticut-based Crius Energy LLC. That company was formed when Regional Energy and Public Power merged in late 2012. Both of those firms started up in 2009 as energy retailers. Crius Energy LLC is one of the top energy retailers in the U.S., with about 800,000 customers. The company provides electricity and gas under variable and fixed-price supply contracts through a variety of sales channels. It operates through Viridian Energy, Cincinnati Bell Energy, FairPoint Energy, FTR Energy Services and Public Power. In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Crius Energy Trust’s revenue fell 5.2%, to $168.3 million from $177.6 million a year earlier (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). However, cash flow per share was positive, at $1.23, compared to negative $0.30 a year previous. The improvement mostly resulted from colder-than-normal temperatures, which spurred electricity and natural…