These two trusts should rebound in 2010

Article Excerpt

Lower oil and natural gas prices weighed on the cash flow and stock prices of these two resource trusts in 2009. However, recent announcements should improve their prospects in 2010. PENGROWTH ENERGY TRUST $11 (Toronto symbol PGF.UN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Units outstanding: 289.5 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 7.6%; SI Rating: Average) produces oil and natural gas, mainly from properties in western Canada. Natural gas accounts of 60% of its production; oil supplies the remaining 40%. The extra exposure to gas has hurt the trust lately, as gas prices are down more than oil prices. In 2010, Pengrowth will spend $285 million on exploration, developing its current properties, and buying new properties. That’s up 29.5% from $220 million in 2009. About 70% of this spending will go to oil projects, including $15 million for its Lindbergh oil-sands project. Lindbergh could account for 40% of Pengrowth’s reserves when it begins producing crude oil in six years…