Cimarex’s assets add to its appeal

Article Excerpt

CIMAREX ENERGY CO. $34 is a buy. The company (New York symbol XEC; Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 102.0 million; Market cap: $3.5 billion; Dividend yield: 2.5%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.cimarex.com) produces and explores for natural gas and oil. Gas makes up 43% of the company’s output; the remaining 57% is oil. The stock dropped from $40 in February 2020 to just $13 in March due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and the subsequent drop in oil and gas prices. However, Cimarex’s shares have rebounded with the economy. As well, the company’s low-cost gas properties in the Permian Basin of Texas and the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma could make it an attractive takeover target. Meantime, Cimarex generated cash flow of $687.6 million in the first nine months of 2020. It ended the period with cash of $273.0 million, while its long-term debt of $1.99 billion is a high 57% of its market cap. However, the company won’t have to repay most of…