TAC
UtilitiesTransAlta Corporation · Independent Power Producers · $4B
What is TransAlta Corporation?
TransAlta Corporation is a Canadian power generation company with over a century of operating history. It owns and operates a diversified fleet of electricity-generating assets across Canada, the United States, and Australia.
TransAlta generates and sells electricity through hydro, wind, solar, and natural gas facilities, while also managing an Energy Transition segment as it shifts away from coal. The company participates in wholesale electricity trading and related commodity markets, and serves a broad customer base including municipalities, industrial users, and utility companies. Revenue comes primarily from long-term power purchase agreements and merchant market sales across its operating regions.
TransAlta was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
- Hydroelectric power generation
- Wind and solar energy facilities
- Natural gas-fired power plants
- Wholesale electricity and commodity trading
- Energy transition and coal phase-out operations
Is TAC a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates TAC as Poor overall, placing it among the lower-ranked names in the Utilities sector.
The one area where TransAlta shows relative strength is Valuation, which is rated Good — suggesting the market may already be pricing in many of the company's challenges.
Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk are all rated Weak, reflecting meaningful structural headwinds across the business — from limited competitive differentiation to constrained earnings power and elevated operational risk.
Pro members can view the complete pillar breakdown and underlying financial metrics to understand exactly where TransAlta stands relative to sector peers. Sign up free →
Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does TAC pay dividends?
Yes — TransAlta Corporation pays a dividend.
TransAlta pays a regular dividend, which may appeal to income-oriented investors in the utilities space. Given the company's Weak Quality and Risk ratings, prospective dividend investors should weigh payout sustainability carefully. The dividend reflects a long-standing capital return practice common among regulated and semi-regulated power generators, though the underlying business profile warrants scrutiny.
When does TAC report earnings?
TransAlta reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for Canadian companies listed on major exchanges.
The company's recent results reflect ongoing pressures across its operating segments, with the energy transition away from coal adding near-term complexity. Growth metrics remain below sector averages, consistent with the Weak Growth pillar rating.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance, visit TransAlta's investor relations page directly.
TAC Price History
+46.9% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in TransAlta Corporation?
Based on TransAlta Corporation's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
TAC Long-term Outlook
TransAlta's fundamental outlook is shaped by its Weak Growth and Weak Risk pillar ratings, pointing to a challenging near-to-medium-term trajectory. The ongoing coal phase-out introduces transition costs and asset retirement obligations that weigh on the financial profile. While the shift toward renewables is strategically aligned with long-term energy trends, execution risk remains elevated. The Good Valuation rating suggests limited near-term downside may already be reflected in the share price, but a meaningful re-rating would likely require sustained improvement across quality and growth metrics.
Growth drivers
- Expansion of wind and solar capacity as coal assets retire
- Long-term power purchase agreements providing revenue visibility
- Growing demand for clean electricity across Canadian and US markets
Key risks
- Elevated operational and financial risk across the business
- Execution challenges in the coal-to-renewables transition
- Competitive pressure in merchant electricity markets
TAC vs Peers
TransAlta operates in a competitive power generation landscape alongside a range of independent producers and energy holding companies.
Kenon is a holding company with diversified energy and industrial assets, offering a different risk and geographic exposure profile compared to TransAlta's focused Canadian power operations.
Pampa Energía is an Argentine integrated energy company, giving it exposure to a distinct regulatory and macroeconomic environment that differs substantially from TransAlta's North American and Australian markets.
TAC trades on the NYSE while TA.TO is the Toronto Stock Exchange listing of the same company, reflecting TransAlta's dual-listed structure for Canadian and US investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TransAlta Corporation do?
TransAlta owns and operates electricity generation assets across Canada, the United States, and Australia. Its portfolio spans hydroelectric, wind, solar, and natural gas facilities. The company also trades electricity and energy commodities wholesale, and is actively transitioning away from coal-fired generation toward cleaner energy sources.
Does TAC pay dividends?
Yes, TransAlta pays a regular dividend. It has a long history of returning capital to shareholders through dividends, which is common among power generation companies. However, given the company's Weak Quality and Risk ratings, investors should assess whether the dividend is well-supported by the underlying business before relying on it for income.
When does TAC report earnings?
TransAlta reports financial results on a quarterly basis, in line with standard practice for publicly listed companies. For exact release dates and the most current guidance, check the investor relations section of TransAlta's official website.
Is TAC a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates TAC as Poor overall. While the Valuation pillar is rated Good, the remaining four pillars — Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk — are all rated Weak. That combination signals meaningful fundamental challenges. Pro members can access the full pillar breakdown to make a more informed assessment.
Is TAC overvalued?
Based on the UQS Valuation pillar, TAC is rated Good, suggesting the stock is not obviously overvalued relative to its fundamentals. This may reflect the market already accounting for the company's operational and financial challenges. The full valuation analysis is available to Pro members on uqs-score.com.
How does TAC compare to its competitors?
TransAlta competes in the independent power producer space alongside companies with varying geographic and business model exposures. Its dual-listed structure on the NYSE and TSX reflects its Canadian roots. Compared to peers, TransAlta's broad asset mix — spanning hydro, wind, solar, and gas — is a distinguishing feature, though its overall UQS profile rates below average.
What is TAC's market cap bracket?
TransAlta is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a tier that typically offers more liquidity than small-cap utilities but less scale and financial flexibility than large-cap peers in the sector.
Who founded TransAlta Corporation?
TransAlta traces its origins to 1909, making it one of Canada's oldest power companies. Its long operating history reflects decades of evolution through regulatory changes, fuel transitions, and geographic expansion. Detailed founding history is widely available through the company's official corporate profile.
Is TAC a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, TAC's UQS profile raises caution. With Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk, the company does not currently demonstrate the durable characteristics typically associated with high-quality long-term holdings. The energy transition strategy could improve this profile over time, but execution risk remains a key factor to monitor.
What is the main competitive advantage of TransAlta?
TransAlta's Moat pillar is rated Weak, indicating limited durable competitive advantages relative to sector peers. Its diversified generation fleet and long-standing customer relationships provide some stability, but these are not sufficient to establish a strong moat in the current UQS framework. The company's scale and multi-country presence offer operational breadth without a clearly defensible market position.
What sector does TAC belong to?
TransAlta operates in the Utilities sector, specifically within power generation. It is an independent power producer rather than a regulated utility, which means its revenues are more exposed to wholesale electricity market prices and less protected by rate-setting mechanisms than traditional regulated peers.
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Pro Analysis
TAC — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | 23.6 | 21.7 | 11.0 | 24.8 | 2.4 | 67.5 | +0.2 |
| May 10, 2026 | 23.4 | 0.0 | 11.0 | 24.9 | 36.9 | 67.5 | -0.1 |
| May 8, 2026 | 23.5 | 0.0 | 11.0 | 25.0 | 36.9 | 68.4 | -0.8 |
| May 7, 2026 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.4 | 2.2 | 72.9 | 0.0 |
| May 6, 2026 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.4 | 2.2 | 73.2 | 0.0 |
| May 2, 2026 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.5 | 2.2 | 73.2 | 0.0 |
| Apr 24, 2026 | 24.3 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.3 | 2.2 | 73.0 | +0.1 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 24.2 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.3 | 2.2 | 72.9 | +0.2 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 24.0 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.1 | 2.2 | 71.8 | -0.9 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 24.8 | 20.7 | 11.0 | 25.1 | 2.2 | 77.2 | -9.7 |
TAC — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 21.7/100 (25%)TransAlta Corporation currently shows below-average quality metrics, suggesting challenges with profitability.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 24.8/100 (20%)TransAlta Corporation faces growth headwinds with declining or stagnant revenue trends.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 2.4/100 (15%)TransAlta Corporation presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 67.3/100 (15%)TransAlta Corporation trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 11/100 (25%)TransAlta Corporation operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for TAC.
Score Composition
Financial Data
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How is the TAC UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for TransAlta Corporation is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses TransAlta Corporation's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether TransAlta Corporation is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.