Let Cenovus cut your oil risk

Article Excerpt

Despite volatile crude prices, we continue to advise all investors to maintain some exposure to the oil and gas industry. That advice reflects oil’s huge importance to global economic growth even as governments impose new regulations to cut carbon emissions. We also recommend investors stick with well-established producers like Cenovus. Its recent purchase of rival Husky Energy added to its already impressive reserves—Cenovus’s proved and probable reserves are set to last 29 years. The company’s focus on improving its efficiency (particularly at Husky properties) will also let it take full advantage of the recent run-up in oil prices. As well, lower production costs will help shield investors when crude prices eventually fall. CENOVUS ENERGY INC. $19 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CVE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 2.0 billion; Market cap: $38.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 0.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.cenovus.com) took its current form in December 2009 when the old EnCana Corp. broke itself into two separate…