Safer dividend gives Peyto the edge

Article Excerpt

BONAVISTA ENERGY $4.63 (Toronto symbol BNP; Shares outstanding: 206.6 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 9.1%; www.bonavistaenergy.com) explores for oil and natural gas in Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. Its output is 75% gas and 25% oil. In the three months ended June 30, 2015, Bonavista’s cash flow per share fell 34.3%, to $0.44 from $0.67 a year earlier. Most of that drop came from lower oil and natural gas prices; the company’s output fell only slightly, to 73,736 barrels of oil equivalent a day from 74,273 barrels. Like many producers, the company is cutting back on exploration and development spending. This year, it will devote $310.0 million to this purpose, down sharply from $639.6 million in 2014. Even with the lower spending, its 2015 output should rise to an average of 82,516 barrels a day from 77,211 in 2014. But with oil prices under $60 U.S. a barrel—and gas prices near five-year lows at $2.89…