For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.
"My favorite aggressive speculation for 2008 is Enerplus Resources (NYSE: ERF)," says Roger Conrad, editor of Canadian Edge.
"Over the past 18 months, Canadian oil and gas producer trust has endured a trial by fire. First natural gas prices started tumbling.
"Then the Conservative party government announced it would begin taxing trusts as corporations starting in 2011, and restricted the number of shares trust can issue. Finally, this fall investors have bailed out of everything remotely economically sensitive.
"Through it all, however, the Enerplus has remained rock-solid as a business. For starters, the yield of nearly 13% -- paid monthly -- is backed by a modest 70% payout ratio. And that ratio was achieved by selling oil in the third quarter at less than $70 a barrel.
"Weak industry conditions have pummeled industry rivals and Enerplus is taking advantage, announcing the buyout of much smaller Focus Energy in November. Focus' operating costs are just $4.65 (Canadian) per barrel of oil equivalent, its debt is just 17% of capital and its selling price is barely book value.
"And there's tremendous upside from selling gas at more than the third quarter's $5.59 per thousand cubic feet. Buy Enerplus Resources up to $50."
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