Two more ways to profit from rising oil

Article Excerpt

Companies that supply equipment and services to oil and gas explorers give investors another way to profit from rising oil prices. To cut your risk, stick with proven market leaders like Precision Drilling and ShawCor. PRECISION DRILLING CORP. $8.91 (Toronto symbol PD; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resource sector; Shares outstanding: 276.1 million; Market cap: $2.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; No dividends paid since February 2009; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.precisiondrilling.com) provides contract drilling services to land-based oil and gas producers, mainly in North America. It had 337 rigs in service at the end of 2011. The company continues to gain as oil producers step up their drilling activity to take advantage of rising oil prices. In 2011, Precision’s revenue rose 36.5%, to $1.95 billion from $1.4 billion in 2010. Earnings soared 344.4%, to $193.5 million, or $0.67 a share, from $43.5 million, or $0.15 a share. Demand for the company’s Super Series horizontal-drilling rigs is rising. Horizontal drilling involves drilling wells at an angle to…