Energy Stocks

Resource and commodity stocks in general should make up only a limited portion of your portfolio—say less than 20% for a conservative investor or as much as 30% for an aggressive investor. And as part of that segment, energy stocks could make up, say half of that total. The rest could be fertilizer stocks, mining stocks and so on.

Oil and gas stocks have been below-average performers lately, and many investors are tempted to get out of the industry altogether. However, the energy sector can play a crucial role in your portfolio as a hedge against inflation. The low inflation rates of the past couple of decades deserve some of the blame for the poor performance of the sector. However, energy stocks will likely rebound in years to come as the global economy recovers.

  1. Invest mainly in well-established companies;
  2. Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors (Manufacturing & Industry; Resources & Commodities; Consumer; Finance; Utilities);
  3. Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight.

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When you invest in energy stocks, make oil and gas stocks at most half of your resource investments, as part of a diversified portfolio.
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ENCANA CORP. $10 (Toronto symbol ECA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 849.9 million; Market cap: $8.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 0.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.encana.com) will complete the sale of its oil and gas properties in Colorado’s DJ Basin by July 31, 2016....
SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $36 (Toronto symbol SU; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $61.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. suncor.com) is Canada’s largest integrated oil company....
ENCANA $10.53 (Toronto symbol ECA; Shares outstanding: 849.9 million; Market cap: $9.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 0.7%; www.encana.com) will sell its Gordondale land and infrastructure in northwestern Alberta to Birchcliff Energy Ltd....
ARC RESOURCES $21.81 (Toronto symbol ARX; Shares outstanding: 350.3 million; Market cap: $7.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; Dividend yield: 2.8%; www.arcresources.com) produces oil and natural gas in Western Canada. Its average daily output of 124,224 barrels of oil equivalent is 66% gas and 34% oil....
ENERPLUS CORP. $8.69 (Toronto symbol ERF; Shares outstanding: 207.1 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; Dividend yield: 1.4%) produces oil and gas from properties in Alberta, Saskatchewan, B.C., North Dakota and Montana, as well as in the Marcellus Shale....