CURRENT AFFAIRS. Brookfield Asset Management could generate some low voltage in a highly charged atmosphere. The Canadian investment giant is considering an initial public offering of car-battery maker Clarios, Bloomberg reported, after buying it just two years ago for $13.2 billion. Although there’s no shortage of hype around electric vehicles, Clarios produces ancillary batteries used for accessories rather than the drivetrain. It’s not cutting-edge but delivers steady cash flow. Demand is resilient, as drivers regularly replace them. Battery peer Energizer trades at nearly 11 times trailing EBITDA. That would value the Clarios enterprise at about $18 billion, based on a September 2020 presentation that shows $1.6 billion of estimated EBITDA. A slightly higher multiple might be warranted because of its technological nous and growing automotive power requirements. That said, the whole industry is vulnerable to disruption. Just last week, Elon Musk said auxiliary batteries need a makeover. That could be a drain on Clarios. (By Katrina Hamlin)