COMMENT
Market Neutral Investing. Security delivers returns. 1) Income via interest, dividend etc. 2) movement in security price related to the movement of the stock market (Beta) and 3) movement security price specific to fundamentals going on at the company (Alpha). Eliminate the Beta and isolate the Alpha. E.G. If Long and Short 2 gold stocks he wants the company that is Long to deliver positive surprise such as lower costs, increased production. Shorts the company he doesn't like. This illuminates the Beta.
TOP PICK
Will exit with about 45-50 thousand BOEs a day of heavy oil production in Colombia and believes it will grow 40-45 thousand for each of the next few years. 250 million barrels of reserves and believes there is the potential for this to quadruple over the next 12-15 months. Also feels it may attract investment from Asia. He is Long this and has shorted about $.75 of the U.S. Oil Fund E.T.F. (USO-N) for every $1 of this one.
TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Aug 18/09. Up 11.75%.) Pairs trade with Vale (VALER-N). Iron ore operation in Quebec and just going into production. Believes potential to cash flow more than $3 a share in 2011. Fully financed. Expect them to acquire a nearby facility that will catalyze production growth in the next 18 months and cut capital spending.
TOP PICK
Top Short Pairs trade with Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines (CLM-T). Trading at more than 10X next year's cash flow and 15%-20% of revenues are from nickel that he doesn't like. Nickel is currently around $8.50 and expects a ceiling of $10-$11.
TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Aug 18/09. N/A.) Market is discounting a V shaped recovery predicated upon large amounts of fiscal stimulus and even greater amounts of monetary stimulus. Feels both of these stimuli will begin to wane once we get into the summer of 2010 (?) and he expects a square root recovery. He recommends 25%-30%.
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Aug 18/09. Up 7.68%.)
COMMENT
Splitting between their oil and gas assets. Feels they are hoping for higher valuations for each part by having pure plays. Both of those individual companies become takeover targets.
COMMENT
Nestles. When looking at foreign stocks, you have to take into account what will occur with Cdn$ and have to be very careful. This is a low growth, solid world-class company but he would prefer US companies like General Mills (GIS-N) or Proctor & Gamble (PG-N) that have been much more aggressive at cutting costs and raising prices in the last year.
BUY
Converting the B shares to A. Buy now or wait? Really likes the management. If you buy don't do it as a Trade. You are buying management so give them a couple of years to accrete more value.
SELL
Recently had a significant lift as a result of their refinancing. This gives you an opportunity to Sell because it is a declining business.
COMMENT
Short bank stocks (ETF’s) and Long gold stocks. Good strategy? Not something he would do. He would go Long and Short bank stocks. Currently he’s long Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS-T) and Commerce (CM-T) and Short Royal (RY-T) and TD (TD-T). 6 weeks ago the picture was different. In gold he is Long Barrick (ABX-T) and Short Newmont (NMC-T). Wants to stay in the same sector to hedge out the industry Beta’s and isolate Alpha’s in the companies.
BUY
Favourite gold recently was Iamgold (IMG-T) but recently has been a lot of speculation that Newmont (NMC-T) was going to buy it so it got expensive. This company raised $4 billion to clear their heads book, which had always harmed valuations. Unhedged there is potential for a marginally higher valuation. (Pair Traded with a Short on Newmont (NMC-T).)
COMMENT
Have to de-consolidate Indonesian operations, which will create significant downward pressure on cash flow. Will also have to make a large acquisition that he thinks will be dilutive. (Pair traded with a Long on Barrick (ABX-T).)
BUY
About 50/50 oil and gas. New management has sold off a bunch of conventional gas assets and are moving more towards unconventional gas. Market hasn't decided if this is going to work or not. A cheap stock but for a reason. Potential for a higher rating as the market sees the new team is doing the right thing.
TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Sept 22/08. Down 13%.) Likes its torque to the Horizon oil sands project. Has completed phase 1 and has done really well. Coming in on time, on budget and with production upside. Will have a lot of growth.