Steady production supports high payout

Article Excerpt

PENGROWTH ENERGY TRUST $11 (Toronto symbol PGF.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Units outstanding: 291.3 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 7.6%; SI Rating: Average) is one of North America’s largest energy royalty trusts. Its main properties are in Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan. The trust also holds interests in other energy projects, such as its 8.4% stake in the Sable Offshore Energy Project, which operates three offshore-drilling platforms south of Nova Scotia. Roughly 60% of Pengrowth’s production is natural gas. The remaining 40% is oil. Investors see this a negative in light of today’s low gas prices. However, a colder-than-normal winter could cause gas prices to shoot up again. Pengrowth’s focus on proven properties with large reserves and predictable production rates also tempers its risk. New properties spurred revenue jump Pengrowth’s revenue rose 83.2%, from $955.3 million in 2005 to $1.8 billion in 2008. The jump was largely due to acquisitions, including the $1 billion of properties Pengrowth…