oil prices

IMPERIAL OIL LTD. $41 (Toronto symbol IMO; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Shares outstanding: 847.6 million; Market cap: $34.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.imperialoil.ca) is Canada’s second-largest integrated oil producer after Suncor. The company’s Alberta oil sands operations, including its 25% stake in the Syncrude project, supply 90% of its crude. Imperial also has conventional oil and gas operations in Western Canada, and invests in offshore projects in Atlantic Canada. In addition, it owns three refineries and makes petrochemicals. In March 2016, Imperial agreed to sell its 497 company-owned Esso gas stations to independent operators for $2.8 billion....

WEIGHT WATCHERS INTERNATIONAL, $12.35, symbol WTW on New York, offers weight-loss services in 23 countries. The company promotes a program of lifestyle changes through 36,000 weekly meetings and its website. Oprah Winfrey bought 10% of the company in October 2015. She also joined its board of directors. Her goal has been to promote the company and help it reverse a steady decline over the last few years. Weight Watchers reported a lower-than-expected loss in the latest quarter—and increased its membership for the first time in four years. The number of active subscribers stood at 3.06 million on April 2, 2016. That’s a 4.8% rise from 2.92 million a year ago....

SUNCOR ENERGY INC., $33.84, Toronto symbol SU, has had to reduce production at its main oil sands operations about 25 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, due to severe wildfires. In the quarter ended March 31, 2016, these operations accounted for 95% of Suncor’s bitumen production. The fires have also slowed production at the Syncrude oil sands facility, about 35 kilometers north of Fort McMurray. Suncor recently purchased an additional 5.0% interest in the operation. It now owns 53.74% of project. Its latest share purchase was for $937 million. That’s equal to 1.4 times the company’s first quarter cash flow of $682 million, or $0.45 a share....

CENOVUS ENERGY $18.88 (Toronto symbol CVE; Shares outstanding: 833.2 million; Market cap: $15.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.1%; www.cenovus.com) owns oil sands operations and conventional wells in Western Canada. It ships its oil to its 50%- owned refineries in Illinois and Texas. Due to low oil prices, Cenovus has shrunk its workforce by 31% since the start of 2015. These cuts will save it $200 million this year. They should also help expand its cash flow when oil prices recover. In the first quarter of 2016, the company’s cash flow was just $26 million, or $0.03 a share, Meanwhile, the balance sheet is strong: Cenovus holds cash of $3.9 billion, or $4.68 a share. Long-term debt of $6.1 billion is a manageable 38% of its market cap....

CENOVUS ENERGY $18.88 (Toronto symbol CVE; Shares outstanding: 833.2 million; Market cap: $15.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.1%; www.cenovus.com) owns oil sands operations and conventional wells in Western Canada. It ships its oil to its 50%- owned refineries in Illinois and Texas. Due to low oil prices, Cenovus has shrunk its workforce by 31% since the start of 2015. These cuts will save it $200 million this year. They should also help expand its cash flow when oil prices recover. In the first quarter of 2016, the company’s cash flow was just $26 million, or $0.03 a share, Meanwhile, the balance sheet is strong: Cenovus holds cash of $3.9 billion, or $4.68 a share. Long-term debt of $6.1 billion is a manageable 38% of its market cap....

RESTAURANT BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC., $43.26, symbol QSR on New York, took its current form on December 12, 2014, after Burger King Worldwide acquired Tim Hortons. The company has 4,438 Tim Hortons locations and 15,008 Burger King outlets in 100 countries. It is now the world’s third-largest fast-food operator, after McDonald’s (No. 1) and Yum Brands (No. 2). If you exclude restructuring costs and other unusual items, Restaurant Brands earned $142.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016 (all amounts except share price in U.S. dollars). That’s up 92.3% from $73.9 million a year earlier. Due to more shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 87.5%, to $0.30 from $0.16. It was enough to beat the consensus estimate of $0.22. The higher profits came from lower costs and the introduction of more high-profit menu items....

In the 1980s, the Vancouver Stock Exchange was a world centre for trading speculative stocks. I used to advise buying some Vancouver stocks that seemed like they had a chance of success, and recommend selling or avoiding others. I noted a recurring pattern: when I advised selling a stock, the company hardly ever responded in any way. Assuming they knew about the sell recommendation, it seemed they just wanted to avoid any unfavourable attention. The rare exceptions were companies that were particularly successful in promoting their stock, but seemed to have the least likelihood of success as a business. Rather than ignoring our sell advice, promoters of these successful-promotions/doomed business ventures would send incredibly long, detailed, indignant letters. They would insist that I explain how I came to such a ridiculous conclusion, and demand a retraction. Sometimes I would print an update or clarification about the company’s business. But I never did find reason to change any of these recommendations. So I’d add at the end of the piece, “We still think it’s a sell.”...

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....

CENOVUS ENERGY INC. $18 (Toronto symbol CVE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 833.2 million; Market cap: $15.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cenovus.com) owns oil sands projects and conventional wells in Western Canada. It ships its oil to its 50%-owned refineries in Illinois and Texas. Due to low oil prices, Cenovus has shrunk its workforce by 31% since the start of 2015. These cuts should save it $200 million this year; it lost $403 million, or $0.49 a share, in 2015. The cuts should also help Cenovus quickly expand profits when oil prices recover. Cenovus is still a buy.