Fortis Inc (TSX:FTS) is a stock that many Canadian retirees will be familiar with. With its stable operations, above-average yield and 51-year dividend growth streak, it has become a staple of many Canadian retirement portfolios (i.e., RRSPs).
Not only has Fortis become a staple of RRSP portfolios, it has become a pretty good one too. The returns the stock delivers are typically pretty satisfactory, and with little volatility. For example, FTS stock has delivered a 177% total return over the last decade, ahead of the TSX Composite by 70%, despite having a 0.32 beta coefficient (meaning less than a third as volatile as the market). To say that Fortis has delivered a superior risk adjusted return is an understatement.
With that being said, you can never justify holding a stock based only on its past performance alone. Every now and then, you’ll find a stock that delivers a market beating performance like Fortis’s for a while, only to lose the growth streak later. In order to gauge its future performance, you need to understand how a stock’s underlying business is doing in fundamental terms. So, let’s take a look at some recent developments at Fortis.
Capital expenditure plan
Fortis is currently in the midst of a five-year capital expenditure (CAPEX) program that aims to upgrade infrastructure, connect new communities, and increase the company’s rate base. The capital expenditures will total $26 billion and will increase the company’s rate base (assets Fortis charges rates on) by a 6.5% CAGR by the end of 2029. Examples of projects under this CAPEX plan include:
- Acquiring new FortisAlberta customers.
- Increasing generation capability and UNS Energy resources.
- Replacing poles and improving cybersecurity at Central Hudson.
These infrastructure improvements and upgrades should ultimately increase Fortis’ revenue if all goes well. So, they may end up being well worth the money spent.
Recent earnings
Fortis’ most recent earnings release was a fairly major success, with revenue, adjusted earnings, and reported earnings all coming in ahead of estimates. Some highlights included:
- $2.8 billion in revenue.
- $384 million in net income, up 16%.
- $0.76 in diluted earnings per share (EPS), up 13.4%.
- Progress on load growth opportunities with Tucson Electric in the United States.
- $2.9 billion worth of CAPEX, on track for the $5.2 billion target.
On the whole it was a pretty satisfactory release, with decent growth and progress on major operational goals.
Valuation
Last but not least, we can look at Fortis’ valuation in light of what we’ve seen so far.
At today’s prices, Fortis trades at:
- 20 times earnings.
- 3 times sales.
- 1.6 times book value.
- 8.1 times cash flow.
As you can see, the stock is cheaper than the TSX averages right now (the index trades at about 23 times earnings). It’s not exactly bargain basement cheap, but it’s sensibly valued.
Foolish takeaway
Taking everything covered in this article into account, I think Fortis is a pretty good value today. It’s making investments to grow its business, putting out good earnings, and trading at a sensible valuation. I’d be comfortable owning shares in Fortis, a best-in-class Canadian utility.
