STOCKCHASE

Very good performer. Largely the holding company of Nova Scotia Power. Also has some pipeline and utilities in Maine. Generous yield and raises its dividend every year or two. With BCE (BCE-T) being taken out, there will be a lot of money that will be looking for a home in the utilities. (Also see Top Picks.)

2008-09-05

Comment

22.490

The macro overview for not buying the stock would be because of rising expectation of inflation, leading to rising interest rates that would not be good for interest sensitive stocks. However, there is now an expectation of disinflation and this stock would do very well. Would think total return would be around 9% or 10%.

2008-09-04

BUY

22.410

Money will be flowing out of BCE (BCE-T) and Transalta (TA-T) looking for a home in the regulated area. This is a natural. Under priced.

2008-07-21

BUY on WEAKNESS

23.300

Ron Meisels

Has a beautiful W formation, which is very important. Stock may be a little ahead of itself and wouldn't hurt if it came back to around $22 or $22.50.

2008-06-19

BUY

23.270

Investing in Openhydro Group for Bay of Fundy tidal power. Tidal power is one of the great unrealized technology dreams. No one has done it successfully yet. Utilities have been in favour the last few years as inflation has been low and dividends have been very attractive. Doesn't have to succeed in tidal power to be an attractive holding.

2008-06-10

WEAK BUY

20.690

The growth prospects for the company are higher than they used to be. The regular utilities business is regulated and low growth. Nice yield and dividend grows once in a while. Not exciting. An income play.

2008-03-27

TOP PICK

21.660

Great dividend yield of 4.4% and defensive. Cheap on a price to book and earnings per share. Great relationship with the regulator and they are a utility.

2008-02-08

TOP PICK

20.840

(All 3 Top Picks are defensive, have good dividends, solid earnings and limited downside.) Utility. Biggest holding is Nova Scotia Power. 4.4% yield. Raises the dividend every year or two. If interest rates start coming down, it makes this stock very attractive.

2007-11-20

TOP PICK

20.850

Bill Carrigan

Thanks this one will work higher. Hit a higher low in October. Sort of a flight to safety. 4.4% yield. Doesn't see much downside.

2007-11-13

BUY

20.180

Compared to the Canadian utility space, it hasn't really performed. Feels that you will see it do well in the future. A better name with growth might be Fortis (FTS-T).

2007-09-26

PAST TOP PICK

19.480

(A Top Pick Sept 5/06.Down 2.2%.) Mainly a holding company for Nova Scotia Power. Good sustainable earnings. His theme was yield and this gave 4.7%. Still a Buy.

2007-08-29

WEAK BUY

19.700

Jeff Parent

Trading just below its support level. Because it is at support, he feels it will have a slight rally, probably up to about $21. The return on the stock might be only 3%-4% because of the small range in pricing. There is some good volume on the drops indicating value buyers are coming in. MACD indicates negative momentum has dropped a bit.

2007-08-15

DON'T BUY

21.570

Brian Acker, CA

His model price of $21.80 is very close to the current price of $21.57.

2007-05-24

HOLD

21.510

Its biggest holding is Nova Scotia Power, a regulated utility. Feels there is a big move towards utilities and infrastructure. Doesn't feel interest rates will go higher, which is a huge benefit to utilities. There is some organic growth through rate increases and the natural growth of service territory etc.

2007-04-30

BUY

19.750

Gavin Graham

4.5% dividend. A very low growth dividend. Management hasn't been the most forward looking, but a very solid company. Has dropped recently but when interest rates go down, which he expects this will have a recovery.

2007-03-06

HOLD

20.310

The holding company for Nova Scotia Power. Was a huge performer for most of last year. Probably got ahead of itself. Has a great yield.

2007-02-27

HOLD

21.240

A small electric utility in Nova Scotia. An interest-rate story at this point. Fairly defensive. Not a growth name.

2007-02-21

BUY

22.390

Gordon Higgins, CA, MBA, CFA

Electric utility company in Nova Scotia. Got a little ahead of itself and has come off. If you are a long-term investor looking for yield, this is a great one to own.

2007-01-09

BUY

22.680

Gavin Graham

Likes dividend paying stocks. Very solid position.

2006-12-28

BUY

22.320

A great stable company with a very solid dividend. Not one for an RRSP as you would lose the dividend tax credit. Yield of about 4%.

2006-11-28

BUY

22.290

Rob Callander

Disposed to buying good, solid, dividend-paying stocks, so wouldn't have a problem with this company. 4% yield. Hold for the long-term.

2006-11-23

HOLD

22.150

Pretty stable. Feels that things may slow down economically in North America. Big worry are the housing problems in the US. Utilities and pipelines should do well in the future.

2006-11-16

TOP PICK

20.040

Flat to slow growth defensive stock. Main asset is Nova Scotia Power as well as some assets in Maine. Interest sensitive and is interest rates come down it should benefit. 4.4% yield.

2006-09-05

WEAK BUY

18.610

Bruce Campbell

A holding company for Nova Scotia Power. Interest-rate sensitive. If you have a long-term view, you will get a little growth and a decent dividend.

2006-05-23

WEAK BUY

19.200

A decent company but it's a utility and is regulated with limited growth and facing increasing interest rates.

2006-04-05

HOLD

19.270

A very good name. Has done things well. The only negative on it is that it's in a small part of the world and is a regulated utility. With the rise in interest rates, wouldn't load up.

2005-11-07

HOLD

19.650

The holding company for Nova Scotia Power as well as some other electric utilities including some in Maine. The yield is above what you would own on bonds and you get a favourable tax treatment compared to bonds. Also has a little bit of growth to it.

2005-10-25

WEAK BUY

18.870

A reasonable utility to buy. A little less enthusiastic on utilies with their growth side. The biggest risk with regulated utilities is how do they interface with public utilities commission. Have had a few negative rate cases before that has not allowed them to pass all their fuel increases along but feels they may now have them seeing it their way.

2005-06-21

BUY

18.350

Utility stocks are ideal for DRIPS because they do pay a nice dividend regularly and normally you get to buy the stock at a bit of a discount. All utility stocks are going to ultimately depend on the direction of interest rates and now is a good time to own them.

2005-06-09

BUY

18.150

If you think interest rates are going to go up, then the dividends on utilities are less attractive. Feels that short term rates may go up a little, but long and medium are probably going to stay pretty much where they are. A pretty safe place to sit and get your dividend. Don't expect much in capital appreciation.

2005-05-10

HOLD

17.900

Not a great time to be buying this one. Nothing fundamentally wrong with it. It has just gone through a rate review(?). Doesn't see any catalyst for growth for this company. It's a utility, so tends to have higher debt than others.

2005-04-19

BUY

18.550

Utility stocks seems to be the safest area to preserve capital and still make a decent profit. May be a counter balance to the strong resource stocks.

2004-11-29

BUY

18.200

4.8% yield. Not a growth company. Every couple of years they raise the dividend. Likes its long term outlook.

2004-10-27

BUY

18.470

Growth of its dividends. High yield asset category.

2004-09-02

BUY

17.970

Likes its long-term growth prospects. Dividend should creep up.

2004-08-18

DON'T BUY

17.180

Blair Wilson

A wonderful company. Very slow and steady growth. In an environment of higher interest rates, the stock price will suffer.

2004-07-22

WEAK BUY

16.880

A regulated utility. Doesn't see a lot of growth. Good dividend.

2004-07-19

BUY

17.500

A high yielding stock with dividends periodically increased. A very slow earnings grower. Best for income oriented portfolios.

2004-06-18

WEAK BUY

16.500

Bill Shaw

Mature slow growth company. Worth buying for dividend.

2004-06-11

DON'T BUY

19.300

David Burrows

Interest-sensitive stocks all pulled back when the bond market came under a bit of pressure. Interest-rate increases is just beginning, so this will cause headwinds for the whole sector

2004-04-30

WEAK BUY

19.180

Michael Smedley

Pays a dividend. Not an exciting stock.

2004-04-07

PAST TOP PICK

19.500

Ron Meisels

(A top pick Feb 6/04. Up 8%.) Picked for dividends and expecting leg 4 to come up. Still a good time to buy.

2004-03-17

BUY

18.840

Bob Stodgell

Has quite a healthy dividend. Interest rate increases could hurt them. Slow, steady growth. A good source of income.

2004-02-26

BUY

17.960

Rob Callander

Good dividend yeild, good defensive stock, not a bad idea to move into.

2004-02-03

TOP PICK

18.040

Ron Meisels

Has good dividend. Will break out.

2004-02-02

TOP PICK

18.500

Recommending as a replacement of money market and bonds. A little bit of growth. A safe place to be as an alternative to cash or bonds.

2004-01-21

BUY

17.250

A little on the pricey side at 17.5 X earnings. Fairly diversified. Doesn't expect a lot of growth, but they have a healthy dividend.

2003-10-16

HOLD

17.350

Ross Healy

Reached its book value of $14 and recovered nicely, but is now running out of gas. Decent dividend.

2003-09-04

BUY

17.320

Bill Carrigan

Has a long base and is trying to make new highs. If it breaks through those tops, could go quite a ways, but sell if it goes through the last low.

2003-07-02

DON'T BUY

16.190

Prospects are moderate. Its improving. A little expensive compared to US peers.

2003-05-09

DON'T BUY

15.310

David Taylor, MBA, CFA

Yield is some what attractive, but thinks you can do better elsewhere.

2003-04-15

BUY

15.070

Under a cloud because of a past tax claim. Should have good modest growth this year.

2003-04-10

DON'T BUY

14.600

Bruce Campbell

A no growth stock. Prefers others.

2003-04-02

WEAK BUY

15.900

Won't be a growth story. Buy for dividend.

2002-12-17

WEAK BUY

16.800

David Burrows

Prefers BC Gas.

2002-09-10

BUY

16.610

Bruce Campbell

OK, but prefers BCE. %.2% yield.

2002-08-15

DON'T BUY

17.000

John Zechner

Money moved in for the dividends. If interest rates go up, investors will start to leave.

2002-06-06

BUY

16.460

A favourite. 5.4% yield.

2002-04-30

BUY

16.450

Good yield and excellent long term growth.

2002-03-27

BUY

16.450

David Cockfield

Starting to get into gas. Good dividend.

2002-01-30

BUY

16.750

Ross Healy

Has decent yield with about a 15/20% upside.

2002-01-29

BUY

16.410

Michael Smedley

Good long term. Good yield.

2001-12-24

BUY

18.030

Bill Shaw

A defensive stock, so has gone up. Still at a good price.

2001-11-02

TOP PICK

18.070