Best Natural Gas Stocks: TSX Top Performers

Natural gas prices have been under pressure lately, sinking on oversupply and milder temperatures.
That’s put plenty of pressure on oil and natural gas companies, and many smaller explorers, producers and developers in particular have been impacted. However, not all have fallen by the wayside, and some of the best natural gas stocks have actually managed to see share price gains in 2017.
Read on for a look at five of the best natural gas stocks listed on the TSX this year. As of May 2, 2017, all had seen year-to-date share price gains and had market caps of over $50 million. 

1. TransAtlantic Petroleum (TSX:TNP)

Current price: $1.91; year-to-date gain: 30.82 percent
TransAtlantic Petroleum is an international company engaged in exploration and production activities at oil and natural gas assets. The company holds interests in developed and undeveloped properties in Turkey, Albania and Bulgaria.
In February, the company sold its subsidiary, Thrace Basin Natural Gas, to Valeura Energy (TSX:VLE). Most recently, in March, TransAtlantic released its 2016 results; it also said that year-to-date it has produced approximately 3,633 barrels of oil per day and 5.15 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

2. Ithaca Energy (TSX:IAE)

Current price: $1.94; year-to-date gain: 14.79 percent
Ithaca Energy is a North Sea oil and natural gas company that is currently focused on building a new production hub in the Greater Stella Area of the UK’s Central North Sea. 
In 2016, the company’s average total production was approximately 9,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (92 percent oil), ahead of initial guidance for the year. In 2017, Ithaca sees its output increasing to between 19,000 and 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The projected increase is the result of an updated start to production at the company’s Stella project. In April, the company reached a takeover agreement with Delek Group (TLV:DLEKG).

3. Epsilon Energy (TSX:EPS)

Current price: $3.17; year-to-date gain: 8.93 percent
Another of the year’s best natural gas stocks is Epsilon Energy, a natural gas company engaged in the development and exploitation of natural gas reserves in the Marcellus shale of Northeast Pennsylvania. Epsilon’s total 2016 production was 11 billion cubic feet, a slight increase compared to the 9 billion cubic feet reached in 2015. The company has released little news so far this year.

4. RMP Energy (TSX:RMP)

Current price: $0.79; year-to-date gain: 3.95 percent
RMP Energy is a junior oil and natural gas company with assets in Alberta. So far in 2017, RMP has announced management changes and operational updates. As of the end of 2016, the company had proved plus probable natural gas reserves of 107.71 billion cubic feet and proved plus probable oil reserves of 8.33 million barrels. 

5. Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ)

Current price: $43.41; year-to-date gain: $1.45 percent
Last on this list of best natural gas stocks is Canadian Natural Resources, one of the largest independent oil and natural gas producers in the world. It has been a busy year so far for the company. In February, it announced that production from its Horizon oil sands asset was averaging 184,00 barrels of oil per day, higher than initially expected. Most recently, in March, the company entered into an agreement to acquire 70 percent of an Athabasca oil sands project. 
In 2016, the company achieved annual natural gas production volume of 1,691 MMcf per day, in line with 2015 volume. At the end of 2016, its proved plus probable reserves stood at approximately 9.18 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
The data for this article was retrieved on May 2, 2017 using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only oil and natural gas companies with market capitalizations greater than $50 million listed on the TSX are included. 

Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This article is updated periodically. Please scroll the top for the most recent information.

Best Natural Gas Stocks: TSX Top Performers
By Teresa Matich, 2016
Natural gas prices have been under pressure lately, sinking on oversupply and milder temperatures.
That’s put plenty of pressure on oil and gas companies, particularly on smaller explorers, producers and developers. However, not all have fallen by the wayside, and some of the best natural gas stocks have actually managed to see gains so far in 2016.
Here’s a look at some of the best natural gas stocks as of late. The list consists of TSX-listed oil and gas companies that have seen the greatest share price gains over the past year.

1. BNK Petroleum (TSX:BNK)

BNK Petroleum had a tough 2015, and has lost roughly 35.85 percent over the past year. However, the company appears to have turned things around somewhat, as its share price has risen 61.9 percent to $0.34 in the past year. On March 10, the company announced its 2015 year-end reserves, reporting a 44 percent increase over its December 2014 estimate. As the Sonoran Weekly Review noted, the company also narrowed its net loss in the final quarter of 2015 to $6.3 million, down from $57.6 million for the same quarter in 2014. That was largely due to increasing production offsetting low oil and gas prices.
BNK holds a number of shale gas and oil assets in the Ardmore basin in Oklahoma. The company has a market capitalization of 54.83 million and has traded within a 52-week range of $0.14 to $0.97.

2. Boulder Energy (TSX:BXO)

Boulder Energy is a junior oil and natural gas producer based in Alberta, Canada, focused on its multi-zone Belly River pool at Brazeau in the Alberta Deep Basin. Shares of Boulder spiked on February 24 when the company announced a going private transaction led by ARC Financial. Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders would receive a cash consideration of $2.59 per share. Shareholders must vote before the proxy cut-off time on April 8.
Overall, shares of Boulder Energy have gained 54.49 percent this year and are currently trading at $2.58.

3. Pengrowth Energy (TSX:PGF)

Pengrowth Energy, another oil and gas producer focused on Alberta, has risen 43.14 percent to $1.46 per share so far in 2016. The company’s stock gained over 70 percent in March, and according to the Motley Fool, that wasn’t just because of a 14 percent bump in crude oil prices. Billionaire Canadian investor Seymour Schulich also bought into the stock, which is significant, since, as the Fool noted, “Schulich doesn’t buy too many stocks. In fact, according to an interview he gave last year, he only owned five stocks at that time.”
Pengrowth has a market capitalization of 763 million and has traded within a 52-week range of $0.66 to $4.30.

4. Epsilon Energy (TSX:EPS)

Rounding out the list was Epsilon Energy, which has seen its shares rise 36.96 percent to $3.15 since the start of 2016. The company is focused on its natural gas reserves in the Marcellus shale of northeast Pennsylvania, and also owns the Auburn gas gathering system which collects, processes, compresses and delivers natural gas into Tennessee Gas Pipeline. The company released its 2015 results on March 16, in which CEO Michael Raleigh noted that the company continued to generate a positive cash flow contributions from its upstream and midtream assets.
The data for this article was retrieved on April 5, 2016 using The Globe and Mail’s market data filter. Only oil and gas companies with market capitalization greater than $50 million if listed on the TSX are included. 
Securities Disclosure: I, Teresa Matich, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Related reading:
10 Junior Gas Companies to Consider