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Athabasca Oil Sands CorpATH.TOCOMMENTJan 07, 2015Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Aug 28, 2026. Market Open.
Energy names have had a big pullback. Energy stocks are poised to push higher, and that rising tide should lift all boats. Better to buy the worst stock in the best-performing sector, than the best stock in the worst-performing sector. Energy will continue to see tailwinds over next 6-9 months. He'd buy right here, right now.
It is a large weight in their portfolio. Is a long term commitment but they have trimmed some. It shows visible growth, has a great balance sheet, and is buying back shares. Canada has the ability to add incremental pipeline capacity and Athabasca is well positioned to benefit from this and global thirst. It is growing organically and he sees 40% upside over the next two years.
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.
Has undergone some interesting transitions. One is a Put option on their Dover property, which brought in a new player and gave them a bunch of cash. 12 months ago he would have been really skeptical about the payment of that Put. They got half, so that is behind them now. There is more coming by the end of August. One thing they have to pay attention to is their thermal projects. Because of low oil prices, all the heavier oil SAGD mining operation projects are under scrutiny. What are costs versus what you are going to sell your oil for? They will have to be diligent to prove to the world that thermal projects are economic at a price. Their light oil projects are pretty good. He would be favourably inclined towards this company.