Diversified operations cut Teck’s risk

Article Excerpt

TECK RESOURCES LTD. $23 (Toronto symbol TECK.B; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 558.4 million; Market cap: $12.8 billion; Price-to sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.teck.com) is a leading producer of metallurgical coal, a key ingredient in steel making. The reserves at its four active coal mines (all in B.C.) should last between 18 and 43 years. A fifth mine in Alberta is set to close in mid-2020. In the latest quarter, coal supplied 51% of Teck’s revenue. Generally, Asian customers buy 70% of the company’s coal. It’s also a major supplier of copper (21% of revenue) and zinc (19%), which is added to steel to prevent rusting. The remaining 9% of overall revenue comes from the company’s 21.31% stake in the Fort Hills oil sands project in northern Alberta. Suncor owns 54.1% of that project, and operates it; France’s Total SA holds the remaining 24.6%. Fort Hills’ reserves should last 46 years. In the three months…