Top Picks 2007: Roger Conrad drills into Precision

Each year, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Stocks Report.

Precision Drilling (NYSE: PDS) is the favorite speculative stock for 2007 from utility specialist Roger Conrad. The editor of The Utility Forecaster notes, "Precision converted to a Canadian income trust last year and its shares were immediately off to the races, riding enthusiasm about its big dividend and growth of activity in North American drilling.

"The second half of 2006 has been 180 degrees different, due to a slump in energy patch activity in Canada and the government's proposal to tax income trusts beginning in 2011. As a result, the stock is yielding 13%, a level usually reserved for Wall Street basket cases.

"Precision, however, is far from it, holding more than 40% of the fast-growing deep drilling market in Canada and rapidly expanding on both sides of the border. Cash flow continues to cover the dividend by a generous margin, and with energy patch activity picking up in North America at the end of 2006, it should do so by an even wider margin in 2007.

"Being taxed again as a corporation would almost surely mean a lower dividend. But in the meantime, the trust will continue to pay out big, and the shares should benefit from faster energy patch activity.

"Also, the income trust tax changes are priced in, so there's no real additional risk on that front, and a possibility the ultimate change by the government will be considerably more favorable. A further slowdown in energy patch activity is also priced in to the shares, so all the potential surprises are positive and will bring upside. Buy Precision up to 30."

To see Roger's favorite conservative stock for 2007, click here.