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Twilio Inc. adds AI capabilities to stay ahead of rivals and win more strategic multi-year partnerships.
FedEx Corp. looks set to sustain its growth, and the spinoff of its Freight division will unlock shareholder value
Thomson Reuters Corp. offers a strong value proposition via continued price increases and recurring revenue growth across legal, tax, and corporate compliance customers.
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PENGROWTH ENERGY CORP. $2.08 (Toronto symbol PGF; Aggressive Growth and Income Portfolios, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 547.4 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend suspended in January 2016; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.pengrowth.com) has more than tripled from its low of $0.66 in January 2016. That’s partly because prominent Toronto investor Seymour Schulich recently acquired 16.6% of the company’s shares. The purchase makes him Pengrowth’s largest shareholder. Meanwhile, the company continues to sell less-important properties to focus on its main Lindbergh oil sands project. That’s why its production in the first quarter of 2016 fell 10.5%, to 62,056 barrels a day (61% oil and liquids, 39% natural gas) from 67,934 barrels a year earlier. In addition, weaker oil and gas prices cut its cash flow per share by 4.8%, to $0.20 from $0.21. Pengrowth used the cash from its recent assets sales to pay down its long-term debt. It now stands at $1.7 billion (or 1.5 times its market cap). That’s down 9.3% since the end of 2015....
The wildfires near Fort McMurray, Alberta, have forced Suncor and other oil sands producers to temporarily shut down their operations. The fires did not damage these facilities, which are surrounded by gravel fields and firebreaks. However, evacuation of the area does present staffing challenges. Suncor aims to restart production in the next few weeks. While the shutdown will weigh on the company’s earnings, it has also contributed to the recent rise in crude prices. That should help Suncor offset some of the lost revenue. Moreover, the company’s new projects and greater efficiency put it in a strong position to expand its long-term earnings and cash flow—even if oil prices remain at their current level....
ENBRIDGE INC. $51 (Toronto symbol ENB; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 928.9 million; Market cap: $47.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 4.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www. enbridge.com) has asked regulators to extend its permit to build the Northern Gateway pipeline by three years. This $7.9 billion project would pump crude oil from Alberta to the B.C. coast. However, the permit will expire if Enbridge does not begin construction by the end of 2016. The extra time would also help the company address significant political opposition to the project. For example, it will now give Aboriginal groups a 33% stake in the project, up from 10% under the original proposal. Even so, Ottawa’s plan to ban tanker traffic on B.C.’s northern coast hurts the project’s viability. Enbridge is still a hold.
EMERA INC. $47 (Toronto symbol EMA; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 148.2 million; Market cap: $6.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 4.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.emera .com) owns 100% of Nova Scotia Power, that province’s main electricity supplier. It also owns power utilities in the U.S. and the Caribbean. In September 2015, the company agreed to buy Teco Energy (New York symbol TE). This firm supplies electricity and natural gas to 1.05 million customers in Tampa Bay, Florida. A separate subsidiary distributes gas to 510,000 customers in New Mexico. Emera will pay $10.4 billion U.S., including Teco’s debt. It expects to complete the purchase in mid-2016....