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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: I have been very happy with your recommendation on Surge Energy. My game plan was to make sure I had a long term hold of a stock in Oil especially as the projection of CAD is to continue lower. In fact it is a wonderful relationship between the price of oil and CAD. It would appear, as the price of oil falls, so does CAD, implying a cushion for Surge. Not only does the falling Can Dollar help, but a lower price of oil in a growing econmy like the USA would suggest greater consumption on the horizon. I do understand there is a suggestion that the USA has a surplus of oil but was that not contributed by the refineries being off line for a time. In 2010 USA consummed 19.18 Mill B/per day. In 2012 they were producing only 11.11 Mill B/per day. There is no question in my mind that I want to invest more in an oil company, the real question I have here is "Can Surge survive to capitalize, or should a long term investor in oil look to another company?"
Read Answer Asked by Phil on November 28, 2014
Q: With the low oil prices and demand being what they are, will the rail companies see a slow down?
Read Answer Asked by Joel on November 28, 2014
Q: Hello Peter, Could you give me your thoughts on Freehold compared to Pairiesky? Do you prefer one over the other? Is the decline in their price due to the panic selling or is due to oil price decline?
Read Answer Asked by pietro on November 28, 2014
Q: I fortuitously sold Suncor back in June but am now wanting to buy back into oil and gas in my wife's TFSA account. I have badger (bad) and Superior Propane (spb) in another rsp account but this would be more of a direct investment in the beleagured oil and gas industry. I have 10 000 dollars of room to invest with a long term window and was wondering which two of sgy,su,spe,or su you would recommend. Do I go back into the rock solid dependable Suncor or seek more growth with the likes of a Surge or Spartan or ???? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on November 28, 2014
Q: Do you think a lot of these companies will be adjusting their 2015 budget ? These dividends such as TBE at 15 percent and 1.20 price would seem much at risk.
Read Answer Asked by terrance on November 28, 2014
Q: Greeting, Peter & Co.
I fund and administer RDSPs for three young girls on the autism spectrum. Although I still have a 10 year time horizon I fortunately have no energy exposure in these portfolios. I am considering a small position in High Arctic Energy (HWO) as well as a position in a, yet to be determined, large cap energy company. My rationale is:
HWO has operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) (74%) and Alberta (26%). Although HWO is not a typical Canadian energy services company its 6 month share price decline is identical to that of Calfrac and slightly less than some of the other Canadian companies in this sector. The PNG operations include services and equipment rentals to natural gas companies that provide natural gas to a new LNG plant that has very long-term supply contracts. The Alberta operations, in my opinion, containing more risk than PNG, are similar to those of other Canadian energy service companies.
HWO had a good Q3 and the balance sheet is solid. There is enough cash on hand to cover the CAPEX for the additional rigs that will be delivered in 2015. The dividend was recently increased by 10% to 5.3% at the current share price of $3.73 leaving a very low payout ratio.
Please advise me of any errors in my numbers or logic and your assessment of HWO.
With great appreciation for your most valuable service.
Ed
Read Answer Asked by Ed on November 28, 2014
Q: I hold ALA, IPL, TRP, ENB, KEY, EMA & FTS. They are done with oil. I am thinking of selling some or all (in light of oil) and purchasing Blue Chip US Equities. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thank you as always.
Read Answer Asked by Craig on November 28, 2014
Q: Looking at the OPEC correction is there an underlying reason why PD took such a severe pounding knowing that their business model is sustainable. I bought in to-day and am quite comfortable with it. I feel sometimes that these big days are more panic driven or is it the shorts trying to kill the small guys.I guess I'm looking for logic in a big marketplace. Thanks Doug
Read Answer Asked by Doug on November 28, 2014
Q: I am not overly exposed in this area. Given todays drop can you recommend one or two stocks that have been oversold?
Read Answer Asked by Danny-boy on November 28, 2014
Q: As a holder of a full position in BTE I have no intentions of jumping of the cliff.
There are two things I would like to see BTE do
1 Declare their dividends by quarter.
2 If they feel the dividend is not sustainable cut it now and get it over with.
I feel BTE is a good company with a top management team and a above average asset base EG cost at Auroa are under $50 and their hedging is as good as any .
Could I have your comments on my assessment.
Stan

Read Answer Asked by Stan on November 28, 2014
Q: Could you tell me what percent of WSP's work is usually oilfield related? And more specifically, is there a chance that some of the projects they have planned for may be cancelled due to low oil prices?
Read Answer Asked by Duayne on November 28, 2014
Q: I hold Baytex, Crescent Point and Surge. I went to each website for information. Baytex is hedged 24% in 2015 and has a Debt/FFO of 1.9 although their significant debt is not due until 2021. CPG = 37% hedged and 1.1 debt. Surge = 24% hedged and 1.4 debt.

I am a retired dividend investor. Regarding dividend protection, I suspect BTE is the most at risk. Do you agree?

What about shuffling the deck...sell BTE and allocate some of the proceeds to CPG and SGY?

To diversify within the oil & gas sector, which dividend paying natural gas stock would you recommend?

Thanks,
Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on November 28, 2014
Q: I would like your opinion on Bonavista.
tks
bob
Read Answer Asked by cecile on November 28, 2014
Q: Both these companies came down sharply in today's market, apparently due to the drop in oil prices. This surprised me as I thought the companies relatively immune to the price of oil. Could you explain the relationship here and how you see the share prices reacting if oil stays at the current level or continues to drop lower? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by John on November 28, 2014
Q: Can you please list 5 oil stocks that have no debt and that are worth buying during this selloff? Someone on BNN mentioned that RMP has no debt, is this true? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Roy on November 28, 2014
Q: The energy sector got "kill"today without the US market,which will open tomorrow.Is this good time to enter a new position in SU & VET.Really appreciate your usual great advices & services
Read Answer Asked by Peter on November 28, 2014
Q: curious as to why you wouldn't recommend to sell surge at the start of this week when it looked like opec wouldn't cut. and then to buy in at a lower price. the stock is down about 25% in the last 4 days alone.
Read Answer Asked by david on November 28, 2014
Q: Hi Guys
Now that oil is so low, I am sure the analysts will start to reduce the future expectations of all the oil companies. Do you think there will be another sell off in the sector when the feeble minded, lemming-like Canadian money managers see the reduced expectation?
Thanks for the opinion.
Regards
John
Read Answer Asked by John on November 27, 2014
Q: I have no intention of turning an excellent and straightforward service, such as the one you provide, into a hand-holding event, but you have lived through many meltdowns with a better handle on what is going on that most if not all of us. Do you see some type of bottom in the energy space? I have an urge to load up on Surge, Spartan and Whitecap for a five year hold. I am also thinking of adding to a small position in Elkwater because they have little or no debt but I don't really know their cost per barrel metrics.
Presently, I have about a half-position in energy and am not down too much as the purchases have been recent.
Am I looking for trouble?
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Steven on November 27, 2014