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Energy rout puts infrastructure dividend growth story in doubt

Kinder Morgan Inc.'s 75 per cent dividend cut, which allowed it to narrowly avoid a credit rating downgrade, is one prime example of the infrastructure sector's woes.

If they didn’t comprehend it before, investors around the globe have quickly found that collapsing oil prices negatively impact sectors beyond energy, as well as the pain continues to be felt in the infrastructure, equipment and services spaces.

These segments in the market benefited immensely from surging rise in unconventional resources plays like the Alberta Montney and Texas Eagle Ford, in addition to easy usage of cheap capital recently.

Investors piled in because of the attractive yields and consistent dividend hikes many of these stocks offered. Obviously, things have changed.

“The collapse of commodity prices has generated numerous stresses on producers and infrastructure companies,” Paul Lechem, an analyst at CIBC World Markets, told clients.

He noted probably the most vulnerable publication rack individuals with high amounts of direct commodity exposure, high dividend payout ratios, and limited free cash to buy growth internally.

“The dividend growth story for a lot of within the energy infrastructure companies is increasingly doubtful,” Lechem warned.

Kinder Morgan Inc.’s 75 percent dividend cut, which allowed it to narrowly avoid a credit rating downgrade, could be a prime example of the sector’s woes.

Williams Cos. Inc. wasn’t capable of escape that fate, since its high leverage as well as other challenges discovered it downgraded to non-investment grade.

Times really are tough for Canadian players, but Lechem believes the prospects can beat for U.S. counterparts. That’s because of the fact in the lower dividend payout ratios, strong counterparties, lower direct commodity exposure and stronger credit scores.

In relation to commodity exposure, the analyst noted that Canada’s regulated utilities for example Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., Emera Inc., Fortis Inc. and Hydro One Inc. fall within the cheap within the risk spectrum.

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