Topic: How To Invest

Hi, Pat: I’d like to get your input on Vermilion Energy. Does it appear to be a good buy at this point? Thanks in advance.

Article Excerpt

Vermilion Energy, $37.56, symbol VET on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 110.8 million; Market cap: $4.2 billion; www.vermilionenergy.com), produces oil and gas in Western Canada, Europe and Australia. It also holds an 18.5% interest in Ireland’s Corrib gas field. The company’s output is 58% oil and 42% gas. In the three months ended September 30, 2015, Vermilion’s production rose 12.7%, to a record 56,280 barrels of oil equivalent a day (including gas) from 49,920 a year ago. However, lower oil and gas prices offset the higher output, causing cash flow per share to fall 36.8%, to $1.17 from $1.85. To conserve cash while it waits for oil and gas prices to recover, Vermilion will cut its 2016 exploration and development spending by 27.8%, to $350 million from the $485 million it likely spent in 2015. The 2016 total is also 50% lower than the company’s 2014 spending. Vermilion expects to be able to completely fund its 2016 capital spending and dividends from its cash flow…