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Summary On-track, long-term growth-oriented renewable energy generation projects will fuel revenues and earnings growth. Company’s timely and on-budget execution of ongoing projects will create secure and sustainable cash flow base. Strong growth opportunities will bode well for the stock valuation. Sale growth expectation of 5.13% for D is well above the industry median sales growth expectation. Utility stocks have remained a popular investment option for investors, as utilities usually have large exposure to regulated business operations. Additionally, the predictable cash flow base allows utilities to make healthy cash returns, and makes them attractive dividend stocks. Dominion Resources (NYSE: D ) is one of the largest utilities in the U.S., which serves a broader U.S. area with its wider portfolio of energy generation assets. Owing to the company’s on-track, growth-centric projects like regular expansion of renewable energy generation asset portfolio through acquisitions and construction projects, and steady growth of midstream business will drive its future financial growth. Moreover, D’s on time and on budget Cove Point Facility and Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project will support its long-term growth. The company’s dividend growth has also remained strong, as it generates strong and sustainable cash flows. Additionally, D’s strong balance sheet position supports its dividend growth plan and future growth ventures. The company’s policy of allocating a decent portion of its cash flows for funding growth plans has been helping it apply for constant rate hikes, thereby adding well towards D’s financial numbers. As per the company’s long-term growth plans, average annual capital spending over the next five years will be $3.2 billion , which signals at a bright outlook for the stock. Of all its targeted growth areas, renewables remain most attractive. Over the years, the company has developed itself as a leader in renewables space, with its wider portfolio of renewable energy generation portfolio. To keep its solar energy generation portfolio strong, D is still making solar energy generation deals; the company acquired an 80MW solar energy generation portfolio in VA, which is expected to start construction by the end of 2015, whereas operation of the project will begin in fall 2016. Therefore, this acquisition will help D achieve its target of having established total 425MW of solar energy generation capacity set-up by the end of 2015. Additionally, plans to build a 400MW solar plant in Virginia has been announced, which is expected to begin operations in the next five years. Given the fact that the company will be able to recover the cost of these ongoing hefty solar energy generation-based projects by rate case increases, I think D will witness a boost in its future sales and earnings growth. Moreover, the construction of the company’s Cove Point facility is on track. By the end of 3Q’15, the Cove Point Terminal facility was 47% complete, and remains on time and on budget. After its completion by the end of 2017, the Cove Point Terminal will expand the company’s operations; D will be able to export 5.75 million metric tons of LNG, at its full capacity, every year after its completion in 2017. Furthermore, the company’s another important project, ACP, which is expected to come in operation in 2018, is well on track thus far. Additionally, there are 13 ongoing projects worth $1.2 billion, which will move more than 2 billion cubic feet per day for customers by the end of 2018. Given their ability to expand D’s operations; I believe these 13 ongoing projects combined with Cove Point and ACP projects will aid the company in meeting its long-term earnings growth target and will augur well to improve its profit margins. Furthermore, the company’s investments for the expansion of its Midstream business are on track to supplement its long-term earnings growth plan. Lately, D’s Midstream business acquired a 25.9% stake in the Iroquois pipeline, in order to issue 8.6 million limited partnership units to New Jersey Resources and National Grid. Also, the company’s board has authorized $50 million investment over a period of the next 12 months to buy LP units of Dominion Midstream Partners in open markets. I believe D’s sizeable investments in Midstream business will unlock a substantial return on the entering service. D’s operations have been providing a stable source of cash flows to help it fund its hefty dividend payment plan. The company offers a healthy yield of 3.85% . Given the strong strategic growth prospects of its long-term energy generation projects, well-headed for witnessing earnings and profit margin growth, I believe D’s dividend growth outlook is pretty impressive. Additionally, the expected continuation in the company’s balance sheet strength, shown in the graph below, supports my view about its ability to meet dividend commitments in the longer run without any stress of deterioration in the balance sheet position. And I think D’s management’s targeted dividend growth rate of 8%, from 2015 to 2020, looks highly achievable. Source: 4-traders.com Summation D’s on-track, long-term growth-oriented renewable energy generation projects are rightly headed to fueling its revenues and earnings growth, and to boost its free cash flows in the years ahead. The company’s timely and on-budget execution of ongoing projects like ACP and Cove Point indicate that its efforts to create a secure and sustainable cash flow base will positively affect its stock price by enabling it to meet its dividend commitments in the longer run. Also, strong growth opportunities will bode well for the stock valuation. D is currently trading at a higher forward PE ratio of 17.46x , in contrast to its peers’ forward P/Es (American Electric Power Inc. (NYSE: AEP ) has a forward P/E of 15.04x and Exelon (NYSE: EXC ) has a forward P/E of 10.83x ). D’s higher forward P/E is justified I think, because it has a higher future growth potential than its peers. D’s earnings in the future are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.23% . Moreover, the sale growth expectation of 5.13% for D is also well above the industry median sales growth expectation of 1.04% . Therefore, I think D stays a good investment prospect for income hunting investors. Scalper1 News
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