Contrarian Investors: Should You Own Crescent Point Energy Corp. or Cameco Corp.?

Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSX:CPG)(NYSE:CPG) and Cameco Corp. (TSX:CCO)(NYSE:CCJ) are attracting some contrarian attention. Should one be in your portfolio?

| More on:

Contrarian investors are seeking beaten-up names that might be on the cusp of a recovery.

Let’s take a look at Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSX:CPG)(NYSE:CPG) and Cameco Corp. (TSX:CCO)(NYSE:CCJ) to see if one is attractive today.

Crescent Point

Crescent Point currently trades for $14.25 per share, and WTI oil is above US$50 per barrel. A year ago, investors had to pay $17 per share for Crescent Point when WTI oil was US$45.

Based on those numbers, Crescent Point was either overvalued last April, or the stock is looking cheap today.

If the company’s production were falling, or if the debt were threatening to force asset sales, the price difference might make sense, but Crescent Point should exit 2017 with average daily production that is at least 10% higher than last year, and the balance sheet is in decent shape.

So, what’s going on?

Investors remain concerned about a Trump border tax, and the market isn’t convinced OPEC production cuts are going to push oil prices higher. Rising production in the United States is also providing a headwind.

If oil is headed back to US$40 per barrel, more pain is probably on the way, but based on current market prices, Crescent Point is starting to look attractive.

Cameco

After the Great Recession, the uranium market actually started to improve through the end of 2010 and into the start of 2011. Then the tsunami hit Japan, and producers have struggled ever since.

To put the situation in perspective, uranium traded for US$70 per pound before the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Late last year, spot prices slipped below US$20 per pound.

Cameco was a $40 stock in early 2011. In November, it bottomed out close to $10 and is now trading around $14.50 per share.

Fans of the stock say the long-term outlook for the uranium industry is positive. That might be true, but it is going to take time for a recovery to begin, and it’s possible we haven’t seen the final bottom.

In addition, Cameco is caught up in a nasty battle with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) over taxes owed on earnings generated through a foreign subsidiary.

If Cameco loses the case, it could be on the hook for more than $2 billion in taxes and penalties.

Is one an attractive bet?

Oil prices could go either way in the coming months, and a Trump border tax might cause grief for Canadian oil producers, so there is good reason to tread cautiously in the energy patch.

That said, if you have a stomach for volatility and think oil is ready for a recovery, Crescent Point might be worthy of a small contrarian position on further weakness.

Regarding Cameco, the uranium industry continues to face challenges, and the CRA issue is a big deal, so I would avoid the stock right now.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Andrew Walker has no position in any stocks mentioned.

More on Energy Stocks

man touches brain to show a good idea
Energy Stocks

1 No-Brainer Energy Stock to Buy With $500 Right Now

Should you buy a cyclical energy stock at its decade-high? Probably not. But read this before you make a decision.

Read more »

A solar cell panel generates power in a country mountain landscape.
Energy Stocks

Top Canadian Renewable Energy Stocks to Buy Now

Here are two top renewable energy stocks long-term investors can put in their portfolios and forget about for a decade…

Read more »

oil and gas pipeline
Energy Stocks

Where Will Enbridge Stock Be in 3 Years?

After 29 straight years of increasing its dividend and a current yield of 6%, here's why Enbridge is one of…

Read more »

Pumpjack in Alberta Canada
Energy Stocks

Is Enbridge Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2025?

Enbridge stock just hit a multi-year high.

Read more »

oil pump jack under night sky
Energy Stocks

Where Will CNQ Stock Be in 3 Years?

Here’s why CNQ stock could continue to outperform the broader market by a huge margin over the next three years.

Read more »

engineer at wind farm
Energy Stocks

Invest $20,000 in This Dividend Stock for $100 in Monthly Passive Income

This dividend stock has it all – a strong outlook, monthly income, and even more to consider buying today.

Read more »

A worker overlooks an oil refinery plant.
Energy Stocks

Is Imperial Oil Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2025?

Valued at a market cap of $55 billion, Imperial Oil pays shareholders a growing dividend yield of 2.4%. Is the…

Read more »

Pumpjack in Alberta Canada
Energy Stocks

Where Will Imperial Oil Stock Be in 1 Year?

Imperial Oil is a TSX energy stock that has delivered market-thumping returns to shareholders over the last two decades.

Read more »