Deal cuts Precision’s tax bill

Article Excerpt

PRECISION DRILLING CORP. $13 (Toronto symbol PD; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resource sector; Shares outstanding: 275.7 million; Market cap: $3.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; No dividends paid since February 2009; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.precisiondrilling.com) has reached an agreement with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on taxes the company owes on a 2005 transaction. The CRA initially demanded that Precision pay $216 million. However, after a reassessment, Precision will only pay $50 million. That’s equal to 61.0% of the $82.0 million, or $0.28 a share, that the company earned in the first half of 2011. Precision Drilling is a buy. buy…