Activist interest ups appeal

Article Excerpt

CRESCENT POINT ENERGY $11.26 (Toronto symbol CPG; Shares outstanding: 549.0 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 3.1%; www.crescentpointenergy.com) produces oil and natural gas in Western Canada. It is now focused on its Bakken light oil development in southeastern Saskatchewan. Alberta-based activist investor Cation Capital owns just 0.3% of the energy producer. Still, at Crescent Point’s annual meeting in May, it wants to put four of its own nominees on the company’s board of directors. One of Cation’s major concerns is what it perceives as high pay for Crescent Point’s executives, despite the company’s poor performance. Crescent Point stock is down along with most oil and gas producers. Still, the company believes it’s in the middle of a turnaround plan that will generate better results. It has also warned investors that Cation Capital threatens to derail the progress it has made this past year. Whatever the outcome of Cation Capital’s push, it should draw attention to Crescent Point’s strong growth prospects. Crescent Point…