By Brian Paradza, CFA at The Motley Fool Canada
While Canadian utility stocks generally form a reliable bedrock for passive income-oriented portfolios due to their regulated cash flows, steady dividends and a “boring” lack of surprises, for Algonquin Power & Utilities (TSX:AQN) stock, the last few years have been anything but boring. Between massive net losses and the back-to-back dividend cuts in 2023 and 2024, the dividend stock lost its “reliable utility play” tag.
However, AQN stock’s profile is shifting fast. After a radical corporate makeover, Algonquin is suddenly profitable again, making it one of the most intriguing recovery stories in the Canadian utility space to follow in 2026.
AQN stock: From messy growth to reliably stable profitability
The root of Algonquin’s past pain was its volatile renewable energy business, which struggled under the weight of higher interest rates and inconsistent returns. In a bold move, the company disposed of its renewable energy assets in January 2025 for US$2.1 billion (excluding hydroelectric assets).
Today, AQN stock has morphed into a pure-play regulated utility play. It now focuses on providing essential electricity, gas, and water services to customers across Canada, the U.S., Bermuda, and Chile. By shedding off underperforming projects and consolidating its operations – including merging four Arizona utilities into one – AQN has simplified its business model to become the stable, and reliable dividend stock investors originally signed up for.
Suddenly profitable?
AQN stock’s financial turnaround has been dramatic. In 2024, the company was bleeding cash, reporting a staggering US$1.4 billion net loss for the year, including a painful US$110.2 million loss in the fourth quarter alone.
Fast forward 12 months to the fourth quarter of 2025, and the earnings story has flipped. Algonquin reported a net profit of US$29.4 million (US$0.04 per share). On an adjusted basis, net profit climbed to US$47.2 million, blowing past market expectations.
What’s driving AQN stock’s comeback? It’s a combination of aggressive debt reduction, paying down US$1.6 billion in debt in 2025 to lower interest expenses, and leaner operations. Operating expenses dropped to 35.8% of revenue, down from 37.7% the year prior, while Return on Equity (ROE), a key performance measure for utilities, improved from 5.5% to 6.8%. Better regulatory outcomes have also allowed the utility to increase rates, providing a direct boost to the top line.
Is AQN stock’s dividend finally reliable?
The elephant in the room is AQN’s 4.1% dividend. After a 40% cut in August 2024, many income seekers felt burned. However, that cut was a strategic move to “rightsize” payouts to 60–70% of cash flow and reduce the need for expensive, dilutive funding.
In 2025, AQN’s adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) rose to US$730.8 million (US$0.95 per share). With a stable annual dividend of US$0.26 per share, the utility is only paying out 27.4% of its AFFO. This makes the payout look sustainable.
However, Algonquin is in an aggressive capital spending mode. It generated negative “free cash flow” of US$181 million in 2025 due to a heavy US$785 million capital expenditure budget. Free cash flow may remain negative for a while longer, painting the dividend as potentially unreliable. But given that utilities are always in “growth” spending mode, the AFFO payout rate could apply better for AQN’s dividend sustainability measurement. And the current reading is “well covered”.
Further, if we correctly define free cash flow as operating cash flow, less sustaining capital investments, and “contractual” preferred dividends, the common share dividend’s coverage could be much better. AQN doesn’t clearly report its sustaining capital investments, though.
The road ahead: 2026 and beyond
Algonquin Power & Utilities stock is in a heavy investment mode, with a planned US$3.2 billion in capital expenditures through 2028. This spending may grow its total rate base by 5% to 6% annually. Crucially, management doesn’t expect any new dilutive equity issuances through 2027. This is good music for current shareholders.
There are still risks, of course. With total debt sitting at US$6.5 billion and a “low-tier” investment-grade balance sheet, the utility remains sensitive to rising interest rates should the ongoing Iran conflict trigger a global inflation bout.
The Foolish bottom line
Algonquin Power & Utilities has spent the last year cleaning up its house. Up 20% during the past year, AQN has become a money-making dividend stock investors increasingly appreciate as the utility’s sudden profitability marks a compelling turning point.
The post The Utilities Play: Boring, Reliable, and Suddenly Profitable appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
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Fool contributor Brian Paradza has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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