Athabasca Oil Sands CorpATH.TOCOMMENTMar 13, 2014Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 05, 2026. Market Open.
What do you want to own today? Canada. Oil. Asset duration. Free cashflow. Share buybacks. This name checks off every single box. Still sees over 100% upside long term at $80 oil in this name, so he's trying to sit on his hands and not sell.
He'd have made it a Top Pick again today if he were allowed.
The high is around $8. It just broke above recent highs in the consolidation zone. Pretty important technical resistance is around $7. Likes it here, and doesn't mind buying at these levels. Positive, long-term trend on the 5-year chart.
Awesome chart, especially given how choppy crude's been. Crude picking up would be an additional tailwind.
Is benefiting from weakness in American shale. The Oil Sands have been overlooked for a long while; the Oil Sands have supply unlike much of the world which is and will face oil supply shortages. ATH has no debt. They will have over 50 years of stay-flat inventory. Have low or no growth, but will buy back as much as stock free cash flow allows. There is a take-put premium in the current share price. At $70 oil, this will trade at 11% free cash flow yield. He sees $80 oil in a year or more, but not for the next 9 months at least. Great managers.
No debt. Roughly $134M net cash. Business model is defendable down to $50 oil. Purish-play, oil sands name. Very clean story. Modest growth, 50+ years of stay-flat inventory. Residual free cashflow dollars are being used to buy back shares. In March alone, bought back 2% of shares outstanding. Management team is underestimated, has done a fantastic job. Gives you exposure to better days ahead for oil. No dividend.
(Analysts’ price target is $6.19)
Approval has just been given on order in Council. They just need the environmental approval which should be a “go” on the Dover project. This means they can now exercise their Put option and Petro China will have to pay them over $1 billion on their joint venture. That cash should be in their hands probably 90-120 days from now. The upside from here may be $10. Now that the company has the cash, a clean balance sheet, now needs to show operational excellence. He’ll have to see 3 or 4 quarters. They are also looking to joint venture there Duvernay as well.