Suncor to double ethanol output

Article Excerpt

SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $37 (Toronto symbol SU; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $59.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; SI Rating: Average) plans to double ethanol production at its plant in Sarnia, Ontario. Ethanol, which is made from corn, is a gasoline additive that cuts harmful emissions. Increasing ethanol production will help Suncor comply with proposed new environmental regulations. This project should be completed by the end of 2010, and will cost $120 million. To put this in context, Suncor earned $185 million, or $0.20 a share, in the second quarter of 2009 (excluding unusual items and last August’s merger with Petro-Canada). Suncor is a buy. buy…