Imperial is still our top oil pick

Article Excerpt

Oil prices have dropped 50% in the past year, but Imperial Oil’s shares are down just 10%. That’s mainly because cheaper crude cuts its refineries’ input costs and increases their profit margins. New oil sands projects are also adding to its production. In addition to low oil prices, Imperial faces potentially higher royalties and tougher environmental regulations. Still, we feel the company’s high-quality reserves will help it overcome these short-term challenges. Plus, its operating costs per barrel will keep falling as its new projects reach full capacity. IMPERIAL OIL LTD. $49 (Toronto symbol IMO; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Shares outstanding: 847.6 million; Market cap: $41.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.imperialoil.ca) is Canada’s second-largest publicly traded oil company, after Suncor Energy (see page 83). Imperial is a 69.6%-owned subsidiary of U.S.-based ExxonMobil (New York symbol XOM). About 90% of Imperial’s crude production comes from its Alberta oil sands operations, including its 25% stake in…