Algonquin to sell majority of renewables unit for up to $2.5 bln to ease debt
Adds details on hydro operations in paragraph 9, Starboard-backed board members in paragraph 12
By Mrinalika Roy and Tanay Dhumal
Aug 9 (Reuters) -Canada's Algonquin Power & Utilities AQN.TO said on Friday it would sell its renewable energy business, excluding the hydropower operations, to a unit of U.S.-based LS Power for up to $2.5 billion.
Last August, the company said it was considering a sale of the renewable energy unit under pressure from hedge fund Starboard Value, its biggest shareholder, and other activist firms to reduce debt and boost earnings.
"This is all going to debt repayment and of course with that strong balance sheet we will have some flexibility to make different choices from there. But, the primary focus is really to be more self-sustaining," a senior Algonquin executive said on a call to discuss the deal.
Algonquin had a long-term debt of about $8.3 billion at the end of June, following a series of acquisitions in recent years.
The company's shares were last down about 11% in morning trading.
TD Cowen analysts said though the deal valuation was consistent with investor expectations, the market reaction was likely due to the dividend cut and plans to restrain capex at regulated utilities.
Algonquin, which reported second-quarter results on Friday, said it would reduce its regulated capital expenditures for 2025 and declared a quarterly dividend of 6.5 cents per share, compared with the 10.85 cents announced in the prior quarter.
The renewables business largely consists of wind and solar assets located throughout the U.S. and Canada. It includes 44 operating assets with more than 3,000 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. The excluded hydroelectric operations brought in $35.4 million in revenue in 2023 and accounted for 10-15% of the renewables' cash flow.
LS Power said the acquisition will complement its existing fleet of more than 19,000 MW of projects.
"This platform will play a significant role in meeting challenges of rising electric demand and advancing the energy transition," LS Power CEO Paul Segal said in a statement.
Starboard and fellow activist-investor Corvex Management did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In March, Starboard nominated three candidates to Algonquin's board and two of them were elected in June.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2025, the companies said on Friday.
Reporting by Mrinalika Roy and Tanay Dhumal in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Sriraj Kalluvila
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