oil and gas

COMPUTER MODELLING GROUP $10.24 (Toronto symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-531-1300; www.cmgl.ca; Shares outstanding: 78.8 million; Market cap: $806.5 million; Dividend yield: 3.9%) sells software and services that help conventional oil and gas producers create 3D models of reservoirs. That lets them squeeze more out of those deposits by injecting steam or chemicals. Without the technology, they typically recover only 25% to 30% of the oil and gas. Producers using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, methods also use Computer Modelling’s software to determine the best drilling locations and depths. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, the company’s revenue fell 15.8%, to $21.2 million from $25.2 million a year earlier. Software licensing revenue (94% of the total) fell 13.8%, while consulting and professional services revenue (6%) fell 40.0%....

PASON SYSTEMS $17.91 (Toronto symbol PSI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-301-3400; www.pason.com; Shares outstanding: 84.1 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Dividend yield: 3.8%) serves the drilling contractors of oil and gas firms in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Argentina. The company provides them with rental equipment for monitoring and managing landbased oil rigs. Its systems also let clients remotely collect data from their drilling operations. For the three months ended December 31, 2015, Pason’s revenue fell 56.7%, to $59.8 million from $138.2 million a year earlier. A rise in the U.S. dollar partially offset the slowdown in oil and gas drilling. The company lost $841,000, or $0.01 a share, compared to a profit of $47.2 million, or $0.57, a year ago. The lower revenue was the main reason for the decline. Cash flow per share was positive, though it was down sharply, to $0.21 from $0.72....

SASOL LTD. (ADR) $32.23 (New York symbol SSL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (082- 883-9697; www.sasol.com; ADRs outstanding: 651.4 million; Market cap: $21.3 billion; Dividend yield: 2.4%) is a South Africa-based company that converts coal and natural gas into motor fuels. It also produces oil and gas and mines coal. Sasol now plans to delay the completion of its $8.9 billion plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Production will now start in 2019, rather than 2018. When finished, the facility will convert natural gas, or ethane, into ethylene— a chemical used to make plastics and other consumer products. The new plant should triple Sasol’s U.S. production. It should also help to offset some of the currency and political risks of operating in South Africa....

SASOL LTD. (ADR) $32.23 (New York symbol SSL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (082- 883-9697; www.sasol.com; ADRs outstanding: 651.4 million; Market cap: $21.3 billion; Dividend yield: 2.4%) is a South Africa-based company that converts coal and natural gas into motor fuels. It also produces oil and gas and mines coal. Sasol now plans to delay the completion of its $8.9 billion plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Production will now start in 2019, rather than 2018. When finished, the facility will convert natural gas, or ethane, into ethylene— a chemical used to make plastics and other consumer products. The new plant should triple Sasol’s U.S. production. It should also help to offset some of the currency and political risks of operating in South Africa....

BIRCHCLIFF ENERGY $4.67 (Toronto symbol BIR; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-261-6401; www.birchcliffenergy.com; Shares outstanding: 152.3 million; Market cap: $711.3 million; No dividends paid) explores for, develops and produce oil and gas, mainly in the Peace River Arch area near the Alberta-B.C. border. About 87% of its output is gas. The remaining 13% is oil. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, Birchcliff’s cash flow per share dropped 46.3%, to $0.22 from $0.41 a year earlier. Sharply lower oil and gas prices offset a 7.3% rise in daily production. The company continues to cut costs to support its cash flow. As well, in response to low prices, Birchcliff has reduced exploration and development spending for 2016. It will likely spend $128 million this year, down 45.0% from $242.7 million in 2015....

BIRCHCLIFF ENERGY $4.67 (Toronto symbol BIR; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-261-6401; www.birchcliffenergy.com; Shares outstanding: 152.3 million; Market cap: $711.3 million; No dividends paid) explores for, develops and produce oil and gas, mainly in the Peace River Arch area near the Alberta-B.C. border. About 87% of its output is gas. The remaining 13% is oil. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, Birchcliff’s cash flow per share dropped 46.3%, to $0.22 from $0.41 a year earlier. Sharply lower oil and gas prices offset a 7.3% rise in daily production. The company continues to cut costs to support its cash flow. As well, in response to low prices, Birchcliff has reduced exploration and development spending for 2016. It will likely spend $128 million this year, down 45.0% from $242.7 million in 2015....

MART RESOURCES $0.25 (Toronto symbol MMT; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403- 270-1841; www.martresources.com; Shares outstanding: 356.6 million; Market cap: $89.2 million; No dividends paid) has been successfully taken over at $0.25 a share by a consortium. Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Ltd., San Leon Energy plc and 1038221 B.C. Ltd. make up the group of buyers. Apart from regulatory and shareholder approvals, the deal was contingent on the consortium arranging financing. The transaction ran into a number of delays, but was finally able to attract the funds it needed for the takeover....

DELPHI ENERGY $1.17 (Toronto symbol DEE; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-265-6171; www.delphienergy.ca; Shares outstanding: 155.5 million; Market cap: $182.0 million; No dividends paid) explores for, develops and produces oil and natural gas in Alberta. About 66% of its output is gas; the remaining 34% is oil. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, Delphi’s production fell 26.8%, to 8,814 barrels of oil equivalent per day from 12,035 a year earlier. That was after the company sold some fields. The lower output offset a 9.9% average increase in realized oil and gas prices. The higher prices were due to hedging contracts, whereby the company sold its oil and gas forward at above-market prices. As a result, cash flow per share fell just 10%, to $0.09 from $0.10. For the rest of 2016, Delphi has sold 75% of its gas production at nearly double current market prices. It has also sold 50% of its 2017 gas output at similar prices....

MART RESOURCES $0.25 (Toronto symbol MMT; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403- 270-1841; www.martresources.com; Shares outstanding: 356.6 million; Market cap: $89.2 million; No dividends paid) has been successfully taken over at $0.25 a share by a consortium. Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Ltd., San Leon Energy plc and 1038221 B.C. Ltd. make up the group of buyers. Apart from regulatory and shareholder approvals, the deal was contingent on the consortium arranging financing. The transaction ran into a number of delays, but was finally able to attract the funds it needed for the takeover....

A: We haven’t found any infrastructure stocks we want to recommend as buys. But here’s a look at one of the hold recommendations by Stock Pickers Digest—as well as two prominent U.S. companies in the industry. Stantec, $33.18, symbol STN on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 93.9 million; Market cap: $3.1 billion; www.stantec.com), is a recommendation of Stock Pickers Digest. The company offers consulting and project management services for public works and a variety of facilities. It benefits from infrastructure investments all over North America. Stantec continues to grow by acquisition. At the same time, it cuts its costs by spreading administrative expenses, financing and employee benefits among its businesses and new acquisitions. But continually buying firms adds risk, including the risk of writedowns....