COMMENT
Financials.

Hard not to own them, but she is underweight the sector. There's going to be some increase to credit loss provisions. Set up well for a recession in Canada, but she'll be keeping her eye on any particular weaknesses this quarter.

BUY

Working to transition to a pure-play utility, still holding onto small (3%) renewable hydro assets. New CEO and management team doing good job so far. Most utilities are in the US, with staggered and ongoing rate reset price increases. Likes it.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Feb 05/24, Up 34%)

Earnings good, guidance disappointed. But she takes a long-term view. One of the few stocks she owns with no dividend. Checked the boxes of recurring revenues, stable business. Still a pilot shortage in NA, geopolitical risks favour the defense segment.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Feb 05/24, Up 34%)

Largest distribution utility is in Florida, where population growth has soared since pandemic. Regulator in Florida is easy to deal with. Diversified. Benefits from a risk-off mentality in the market.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Feb 05/24, Up 13%)

Surprised it hasn't done better. Still, happy to continue owning. Stock may be off on questions whether assets can still be sold at a premium in a weakening economy. So far, yes. Yield plus growth. Almost 6% yield, and growing.

WAIT
Reports next week.

Was a screaming buy back at $78. Likes its Canadian banking business. Sold Schwab, redeployed proceeds back into Canada. Now at $90, she'd be hesitant to go into any bank right now before earnings. Suspects all banks will need to increase credit provisions. Wait to see plan for growing in Canada.

Over the very long term, it and RY are the 2 premier Canadian banks, so she'd be OK paying a premium to own.

WEAK BUY

Payout ratio is almost 100%. Dividend is not at risk; in fact, company said that it would be raised this year. Capex will be coming down, way ahead of peers on the capex spend on fibre to the home. As capex comes off, cashflows will go up, payout ratio will come down. 

Trades at premium, but it is the premium telco right now due to better financial condition. Stock will be range bound for now, but could be some growth longer term. Will pick up as macro environment improves.

DON'T BUY
Why no stock split?

She doesn't know why either :)  Valuation is pretty high. Strong management team. Her firm stays away from companies that are just focused on M&A growth. M&A works until it doesn't. As a company gets bigger, so do the acquisitions in order to move the needle.

HOLD

She'd hold it today. Oil prices are down, and so the stock price has come off. Yield is 9%, pretty safe even at these lower commodity prices. As a royalty company, capex is low. Pursuing acquisitions in US, but rate will be slow due to competition. She's happy to own for yield right now.

DON'T BUY

A bit volatile. Not a regulated distribution utility, it's a power generator. Divested from coal, now predominantly nat gas. Mostly in Alberta, a bit in US. Ran up (way too much) in 2024 due to vague rumours of data centres being built in Alberta; be cautious until we hear more.

She'd rather own a power generator with more consistent growth such as NPI or BEP.UN.

BUY

Power generator with consistent and concrete growth. Currently building 3 projects, on time and on budget, should come online in 2027.

BUY

Lots of hydro power, a long-life asset. Partnership with CCO for Westinghouse nuclear (and she's pretty bullish on nuclear power generation).

TOP PICK

She'd "top pick" this one forever at these prices. A no-brainer. The premier Canadian oil stock. Rare opportunity to own a premium asset at a discount. Oil price may get weaker as international supply comes on. Still makes $$ with a low commodity price. Good mix between oil and gas.

Best-in-class assets with low decline rate overall of ~11%. Strong culture of maximizing shareholder value through buybacks and dividend increases. Yield is 5.45%, and dividend increases multiple times a year.

(Analysts’ price target is $50.94)
TOP PICK

Boring laundry business, but stable long-term contracts. Hotels, hospitality, healthcare. Used to be predominantly in Canada, but a series of small acquisitions in UK. Big, transformational acquisition in UK yesterday, making them a regional player. Immediately accretive, synergies to be gained. Revenue split between Canada and UK now 50/50. Issued equity, stock came off. 

Likes management. Fragmented industry, so can expect more tuck-in acquisitions. Yield is 3.48%.

(Analysts’ price target is $48.00)
TOP PICK

Integrated across the entire value chain, from well head to end user. Earns revenue every step of the way for gas and oil molecules. 80-90% of earnings are contracted, and that's what the dividend is based on. Working on really big (for them) LNG export facility off coast of BC. 

Likes growth. Good operator, very little commodity price exposure, consistent earnings, very safe dividend. Long-term buy and hold. Yield is 5.4%, and the dividend continues to rise.

(Analysts’ price target is $60.58)