Stock price when the opinion was issued
This is the one he likes in the space. Part of its business is very utility-like. Steady dividend, which will rise over time. Dividend also looks attractive in the face of an economic slowdown when interest rates would fall. Hold for the long haul.
More pipeline builds would certainly be an opportunity for growth for this name, but that's not why he owns it.
Defensive assets are garnering less and less of a bid as people become more comfortable with economic risk. Used this name as a source of cash to add more beta to portfolios. Great company, but relative price performance has started to back off for the pipelines group. Pipelines carry a lot of debt, and financing costs could get more expensive if long-term yields stay high.
Acquiring Columbia Pipeline Group (CPGX-N) for US$10.2 billion. This is a good deal for them. They are also selling their facility that supplies New York City, a stake in the Mexican gas pipeline as well as making a $4.2 billion capital raise. If Energy East doesn’t get built, it doesn’t matter too much to them, as this deal is going to be earnings accretive next year. They continue to raise their dividend 8%-10% a year through 2020.