Mart cuts its dividend

Article Excerpt

MART RESOURCES $1.38 (Toronto symbol MMT; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-270-1841; www.martresources.com; Shares outstanding: 356.6 million; Market cap: $488.5 million; Dividend yield: 4.4%) has cut its quarterly dividend to $0.015 from $0.05. The stock now yields 4.4%, based on the current rate. The company began paying dividends (at the $0.05-a-share rate) in September 2012. At the time, it said it would keep evaluating its payout in relation to its cash flow, liquidity, capital expenditures and other factors. Mart now says it is reducing the dividend, at least for the time being, to conserve cash. Its decision is based on the ongoing drilling program at its Umusadege field in Nigeria and uncertainty about the first oil shipments through its new Umugini pipeline. The company may also require additional funds for the possible acquisition, with a consortium, of another Nigerian oil property that recently came on the market. Mart is still a buy, but only for highly aggressive investors. investors…