Robert Lauzon Pine Cliff Energy PNE-T PAST TOP PICK Apr 08, 2015

(A Top Pick Aug 27/14. Down 50.75%.) Believe it or not, this is the best environment for this company. If you look at what they did with Bonterra (BNE-T) where they were buying oil assets when no one wanted oil. Now it is buying dry natural gas assets when no one wants natural gas. They are probably going to end up getting some really good deals. For a longer-term thesis, this is a great managed company and they have a great idea in being contrarian in their space.

(Top Pick Oct 3/14, Down 31.74%) They have done a great job. Their business plan is to take advantage of low gas prices, which they still are.

It is hard to sell a stock that has fallen as much as this. They bought a lot of gas assets and drove down costs. They are one of the lowest cost producers. They are still losing money, however.

What makes this different is that it is the gas version of Bonterra (BNE-T). An unhedged company. Their track record has been built upon acquisitions. In a way with assets others don’t want. The issue is very low declines. The margin quality is not what you would like. Balance sheet is a little stretched because of a weakness in prices. (This was a very lengthy explanation which I could not follow. You might want to check BNN’s tape to hear it word for word. - Bill.)

(Market Call Minute.) Complete unhedged exposure to gas. Very low decline rate. Competent management and he thinks very highly of them. Cash flow positive down to $1.75 of MCF. If you are constructive on gas, it may be interesting.

It is about as leveraged to depressed energy and gas outlook as you could be. They run unhedged. It is the worst position to be in when the prices are weak. They have relatively low margin. People like that it is unhedged and gives direct exposure to ACO pricing.

In tough shape. They made the wrong bet on natural gas. Sell it and buy elsewhere. But it will pay off over five years.

Does not believe dividend us sustainable given current strip price.
Could take on debt to sustain dividend.
Challenges ahead for the company.
Depends on outlook for natural gas.

He's bullish on natural gas for next year, though not now because of bloated storage and too-high US production. Suffers from challenges of a smaller company, just not hitting the radar screens. See his Top Picks.

Nothing wrong with the assets or management. It's just the market cap. Current environment is not conducive to meaningful outperformance by small caps. Small-cap model in Canada is essentially obsolete, they just can't afford to drill. Consider taking the tax loss. See his Top Picks.