Uinta sale would free up cash

Article Excerpt

OVINTIV INC. $58 is a buy. The energy producer (Toronto symbol OVV; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 264.1 million; Market cap: $15.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ovintiv.com) operates four core properties: Montney (B.C.), Permian (Texas), Anadarko (Oklahoma) and Uinta (Utah). The company is now considering selling its Uinta operations, which account for about 5% of its overall production. A sale could raise $2 billion U.S., which Ovintiv could use to increase its operations in the more-important Permian Basin. That basin now supplies 35% of overall output. Meantime, Ovintiv continues to allocate 50% of its free cash flow (regular cash flow less capital expenses) to dividends and share buybacks. It is forecast to rise 6% for 2024 to $1.39 billion U.S. The current annual dividend rate of $1.20 U.S. a share yields 2.8%. Ovintiv also plans to buy back up to 10% of its shares by October 2, 2025. The company applies the other 50% to debt repayments and…