Two ways to profit from the shale gas boom

Article Excerpt

PASON SYSTEMS $13.55 (Toronto symbol PSI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-301-3400; www.pason.com; Shares outstanding: 81.9 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; Dividend yield: 3.0%) rents equipment for monitoring and managing oil and gas rigs. It also sells communication systems, such as its satellite system, which companies use to remotely collect data from their drilling operations. Pason serves oil and gas producers and drilling contractors throughout Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Argentina and Australia. In the three months ended December 31, 2011, Pason’s revenue rose 32.8%, to $97.6 million from $73.5 million a year earlier. Many of the company’s clients increased their drilling, especially for shale gas and oil. Earnings jumped 201.2%, to $31.7 million, or $0.39 a share, from $10.5 million, or $0.13 a share. The increased drilling pushed up Pason’s earnings. It also let the company raise its prices. Pason holds cash of $89.9 million, or $1.09 a share, and has no debt. The shares yield 3.0%. Plenty of room to grow overseas In 2011, Pason’s systems…