It has underperformed the NZX50 index by about 10% over the last year. Lot of value in the company at the current price and the gross yield is 8.5% - 9.0% depending upon one's assumptions of either 10 cps in annual fully imputed dividends or 10.5 cps. Interesting for medium term holders to note that the average analyst view is for 11 cps in fully imputed dividends in FY21 which put them on a gross prospective forward yield of 11 / 0.72 = 15.28 / 162 = 9.4%.
We might find out how safe and sustainable the utility yields are if Rio pulls the pin. Nothing is risk free and I believe Rio's announcement this week effectively blindsided the market and the gentailiers are in the process of being repriced after enjoying an exceptional run. My view is people have been busy preparing for a pending recession for most of 2019 and many REIT's and utility companies are priced like one is highly likely in 2020.
What if it doesn't happen, the US and China agree to some form of trade deal and its risk on and growth again ? Perhaps an overlooked and cheap stock like HGH enjoys a very good run in 2020 ? $1.90 - $2.00 a year from now not out of the question and would represent a PE of about 13.5 - 14.0 times FY21's forecast eps which is the middle of the PE range over the last 5 years or so.