Spinoff spotlight: Suncor Energy

Article Excerpt

SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $44 is a buy. Canada’s largest integrated oil firm (Toronto symbol SU; Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.35 billion; Market cap: $59.4 billion; Dividend yield: 4.7%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.suncor.com) recently opted to retain its chain of 1,875 Petro-Canada gas stations after conducting a strategic review. The company feels keeping the chain will benefit shareholders more than a spinoff would. The review was part of Suncor’s deal with activist investor Elliott Management. It owns 3.4% of the company’s shares and wanted Suncor to sell or spin off Petro-Canada. That agreement did however let Elliott appoint three new independent directors to Suncor’s board. The activist will now exercise its option to appoint a fourth director following Suncor’s failure to meet certain performance criteria by the end of 2022. The additional board representation should spur Suncor to keep improving its safety record and earnings. That should also give it more room to boost your dividend. With the December 2022 payment, Suncor raised your quarterly dividend by…