A Key Overview of Highfields Capital’s 4Q14 13F (Part 6 of 17)
(Continued from Part 5)
Highfields Capital exits Canadian Natural Resources
Highfields Capital sold its entire stake of 9,803,910 shares in Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ). Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) makes up 1.8% of the iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (IGE). The ETF includes energy heavyweights such as ExxonMobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX), and CNQ’s Canadian peer, Suncor Energy (SU), which respectively make up 7.09%, 6.91%, and 2.43% of the fund.
Company overview
Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers in the world. The company’s exploration and production operations are focused in three regions:
- North America, largely in Western Canada
- The United Kingdom portion of the North Sea
- Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, and South Africa in offshore Africa
CNQ’s Canadian properties are mainly in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Its Horizon Oil Sands Mining and Upgrading segment produces synthetic crude oil through bitumen mining and upgrading operations.
The company also has midstream activities that include pipeline operations, an electricity cogeneration system and an investment in the North West Redwater Partnership, a general partnership formed in the province of Alberta.
Canadian Natural Resources trims 2015 capital expenditure plans
In January, lower commodity prices prompted CNQ to slash its 2015 budget to $6.2 billion from a previous projection of $8.6 billion. The company said the reduction will lead to a “targeted 7% production growth from the midpoint of 2014 production guidance levels.” CNQ also agreed to “defer capital expenditures of approximately $470 million related to the Kirby North Phase 1 thermal in situ project” until commodity prices stabilize.
The company’s latest 4Q14 earnings release notes, “Strong cost management and prudent financial discipline continue to remain our focus given the volatility in commodity prices.”
A news report also notes that CNQ is considering spinning off royalty assets via a sale or an initial public offering.
CNQ posts robust growth in 4Q14 earnings
In 4Q14, total production before royalties rose 27% to 860,920 barrels of oil equivalent per day (or boepd) from 677,242 boepd in the fourth quarter of 2013, and increased 8% sequentially. CNQ said 4Q14 net earnings surged to 1.20 billion Canadian dollars ($966 million), or 1.09 Canadian dollars a share, up from 413 million Canadian dollars, or 38 Canadian cents in the same quarter a year ago.
We’ll discuss Highfields Capital’s exit from Goldman Sachs Group in the next article of this series.
Continue to Part 7
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