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Hawaiian Electric shares plunge another 18% on dividend halt

Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. shares slumped to the lowest level since 1984 after the company said it would draw down on credit lines and suspend its dividend to preserve cash in the wake of deadly wildfires on Maui.

The shares tumbled $2.20 a share, or over 18%, on Wall Street today to close at $9.66. The stock is down 74% from Aug. 7, the day before the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century destroyed most of Lahaina, killing at least 115 people with hundreds more this unaccounted for.

Hawaiian Electric, which owns the utility that serves Maui, disclosed after markets closed Thursday that it will halt dividend payouts starting in the third quarter, an unusual move that indicates potential financial distress.

HEI and its Hawaiian Electric utility unit also drew $170 million and $200 million, respectively, on their revolving credit lines. It will use the proceeds to invest “in highly liquid short-term investments,” according to a filing.

Three independent directors who served on the board of HEI and its subsidiary American Savings Bank will serve exclusively on the bank’s board, which “enables these directors to focus solely on the bank’s business.” The company said customer deposits at the bank aren’t at risk from legal claims tied to the fires.

Hawaiian Electric has come under scrutiny for the role its power lines may have played in sparking the Maui fires.

Maui County filed suit against the utility-owner on Thursday for civil damages caused to public property, alleging the utility acted negligently by failing to cut power despite a forecast critical fire conditions. Hawaiian Electric also faces numerous other lawsuits filed on behalf of fire victims.

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