Production hikes in store for these two

Article Excerpt

PENN WEST PETROLEUM LTD. $24.65 (Toronto symbol PWT; Shares outstanding: 447.6 million; Market cap: $11.6 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 4.4%) is one of North America’s largest oil and gas producers. The company produces an average of 166,135 barrels of oil equivalent per day (weighted 63% to oil and 37% to natural gas). In the three months ended March 31, 2011, cash flow per unit fell 4.9%, to $0.77 from $0.81. That’s mostly because Penn West sold properties, and brought fewer new wells into production. The company has a 50/50 joint venture with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. to develop Penn West’s shale-gas properties in B.C.’s Cordova Embayment area. The joint venture will also develop some of Penn West’s conventional-gas properties in the Wildboy area of northeastern B.C. Mitsubishi will spend $850 million to earn its 50% interest. Penn West pays $0.27 quarterly, for a total of $1.08 a year. That gives the shares a 4.4% yield. The company’s $2.6 billion of long-term…