These yields should survive low gas prices

Article Excerpt

Natural gas prices recently dropped below $2 U.S. per thousand cubic feet, a 10-year low. That’s because new shale gas discoveries and record warm temperatures have increased inventories. Prices have since moved up somewhat, to $2.39. The low prices have pushed down shares of producers that rely heavily on natural gas, including Peyto Exploration and Bonavista Energy (see below). Even so, the long-term outlook for natural gas prices, and for both of these stocks, remains positive. PEYTO EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT CORP. $18.17 (Toronto symbol PEY; Shares outstanding: 138.5 million; Market cap: $2.5 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 4.0%; www.peyto.com) produces and explores for oil and natural gas in Alberta. Peyto’s average daily production of 40,903 barrels of oil equivalent is 90% gas and 10% oil. In the three months ended March 31, 2012, the company’s cash flow was $0.56 a share, unchanged from a year earlier. Lower gas prices offset a 29.7% rise in production. The shares trade at 8.3 times Peyto’s forecast…