Topic: Growth Stocks

CAMECO CORP. $19.80 – Toronto symbol CCO

CAMECO CORP. $19.80 (Toronto symbol CCO; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk)(306-956-6200; www.cameco.com; Shares outstanding: 395.8 million; Market cap: $7.9 billion; Dividend yield 2.0%) is the world’s largest uranium producer. It supplies 16% of global mine production and has large, high-grade reserves, low-cost operations, significant market share and many mines.

Cameco is also one of the western world’s largest converters of enriched uranium for use in nuclear reactors. In addition, it owns NUKEM, a nuclear-fuel trader and broker.

In the three months ended December 31, 2014, Cameco’s revenue fell 9.0%, to $889 million from $977 million a year earlier. It sold more uranium at higher prices in the latest quarter. However, the yearago quarter included revenue from the company’s 31.6% stake in Ontario’s Bruce Power partnership, which it sold in early 2014.

Excluding one-time items, earnings per share rose 13.2%, to $0.43 from $0.38. Lower production costs offset the revenue decline.

The long-term outlook for uranium is positive. Japan’s 48 nuclear reactors should begin to resume operations later this year, and global utilities, which have stockpiled uranium at lower prices over the last few years, will need to replenish their supplies. As well, the number of nuclear reactors in operation worldwide is forecast to increase 40.3% over the next 15 years, from 434 to 609.

In the short term, though, low oil prices cut the appeal of nuclear energy and could slow the building of those new reactors. In addition, uranium supply remains considerably higher than demand.

Cameco is still a hold.

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