Cenovus doubles in size

Article Excerpt

CENOVUS ENERGY $15.11 (Toronto symbol CVE; Shares outstanding: 833.2 million; Market cap: $12.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.3%; www.cenovus.com) took a big drop after its recent deal to acquire control of its main oil sands properties in Alberta. However, that acquisition more than doubles the company’s output and positions it for strong future growth. Right now, Cenovus already owns 50% of the Christina Lake and Foster Creek oil sands projects; ConocoPhilips (New York symbol COP) owns the other 50%. The company has agreed to buy ConocoPhillips’ interest in both Alberta properties, along with ConocoPhillips’ conventional oil fields in that province and B.C. The total cost is $17.7 billion. To help pay for it, Cenovus will also borrow $10.5 billion. That will raise its total debt to around $16.8 billion, or 135% of its market cap. The extra debt adds risk, particularly if oil prices decline and hurt the company’s cash flow. However, Cenovus’s improving efficiency puts it in a stronger position to withstand…