Buy Sherritt, hold on to Imperial Metals

Article Excerpt

SHERRITT INTERNATIONAL $4.33 (Toronto symbol S; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-800-704- 6698; www.sherritt.com; Shares outstanding: 296.9 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%) is a diversified natural resource company that produces nickel, cobalt, thermal coal, oil and gas. It also manages 356 megawatts of power generation capacity in Cuba, with an additional 150 megawatts starting up this year. The company is a major nickel producer, with operations in Cuba and Canada. As well, it is now starting up its 40%-owned Ambatovy mine on the island nation of Madagascar, off Africa’s east coast. Sherritt also produces oil and gas in Cuba, Spain and Pakistan and is Canada’s largest thermal coal producer. In the three months ended December 31, 2012, Sherritt’s revenue fell 12.8%, to $467.9 million from $536.8 million a year earlier. Lower nickel and cobalt prices and a decline in thermal coal sales were the main reasons for the drop. Cash flow fell 56.4%, to $39.5 million, or $0.13 a..