# Just Energy (JE) ...any thoughts?



## favelle75 (Feb 6, 2013)

Been watching this guy for about 6 months now...dividend seems quite high, but stock is quite low...anyone else keeping an eye on this one (or maybe already own it)?


----------



## thompsg4416 (Aug 18, 2010)

favelle75 said:


> Been watching this guy for about 6 months now...dividend seems quite high, but stock is quite low...anyone else keeping an eye on this one (or maybe already own it)?


I looked at it long ago.... High debt if I recall. Possibly more then 100 % payout... I maybe off but that's what I recall.


----------



## liquidfinance (Jan 28, 2011)

I owned it previously and got out before being seriously burnt when they cut the divi. 

Not a good stock. Could be one to trade from the lows but for the most part the dividend has always been high and the stock keeps getting lower. Be very aware that it is a speculative play and in no way should you depend on it for income.


----------



## doctrine (Sep 30, 2011)

The thing that scares me the most about JE is their $170M shareholder deficit - meaning they have negative book value (about -$1.40/share). They do appear to be turning a reasonable profit right now and that number is improving, but they have a long way to go before they can build equity.


----------



## dubmac (Jan 9, 2011)

I got burned on this one - wouldn't touch it again - as I recall they have some bizarre ways (hedging etc) of making $. I fully agree with liquidfinance.


----------



## chantl01 (Mar 17, 2011)

I don't know anything about this company's financials, but its reputation is beyond bad. They get an F from the BBB - with an alert warning about the number of customer complaints they have racked up. There are endless complaints online about them using deceptive tactics in their door-to-door sales. They've been charged with fraud in both Canada and the U.S. I would stay far away from this company as an investment just based on the fact that if they can't make sales legitimately, ultimately the company will fail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Energy


----------



## favelle75 (Feb 6, 2013)

Great info guys!! The search continues! After getting rid of ZUT today, I feel like I need an energy fix!


----------



## blin10 (Jun 27, 2011)

waiting for this thing to go a little higher before opening short position


----------



## liquidfinance (Jan 28, 2011)

favelle75 said:


> Great info guys!! The search continues! After getting rid of ZUT today, I feel like I need an energy fix!




CU
EMA
Atco
FTS


----------



## PatInTheHat (May 7, 2012)

This is one I would only consider in a short position. I cannot fathom how their business model will work out in the long term. It seems they only way they make money is by tricking stay at home moms into signing contracts for gas that are worse then spot price and then they charge an exorbitant amount to get out of said contract. Natural gas prices have helped push this up recently but I could see this company have a catastrophic collapse any quarter now.


----------



## Killer Z (Oct 25, 2013)

One of my favorite threads on this forum would be a good resource for you or anyone else considering utilities stocks/ETFs:

http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php/8393-ZUT-Utilities-ETF?highlight=Fortis

Good insight from some of my favorite members.

I concur with liquidfinance: FTS, EMA, CU are my choices.


----------



## al42 (Mar 5, 2011)

This is one I would only consider in a short position.

Both Ron Joyce and Jim Pattison have taken large positions in JE recently.
I think they own over 10% each.
I wouldn't bet against these 2 guys.

http://www.investorvillage.com/groups.asp?mb=6781&mn=78192&pt=msg&mid=13528939


----------



## nobleea (Oct 11, 2013)

Any business that relies on door to door cold sales in this day and age is bound to fail.

We had a salesman come to our door a few weeks ago. Looked like they yanked him off the last bar stool in a dodgy neighbourhood pub. He asked for my last gas bill, I told him no. Said I'm happy paying the variable rate, it's cheaper. He had no answer/response for that.


----------



## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

They've got great numbers, but they are scammers.

Piles of suits and investigations in every jurisdiction they operate.

If they're not honourable in their business dealings with customers, do you expect they'll treat owners any better?


----------



## favelle75 (Feb 6, 2013)

Looks like Fortis is my best bet for utilities. I'll wait for a summer dip and jump in.


----------



## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

nobleea said:


> Any business that relies on door to door cold sales in this day and age is bound to fail.


You are right! But Canadians looks to naive to me.... How you can explain success of door-to-door sales , telemarketing
, sales of the most expensive in the world mutual and seg funds?
I get maybe average 3-5 telemarketing calls per week, couple of time per month door-to-door guys are coming etc.... it won't exist if they won't have good profit...
I got first telemarketing call ,2-3 days after we rented 1st appartment and connected to landline 
Just to compare, we've never got any telemarketing calls when lived in Israel, it just won't work there.... Door-to-door sales were only in 1990-93 when huge number of CCCP immigrant came to the country.... than it stopped, as no one was buying...


----------



## liquidfinance (Jan 28, 2011)

gibor said:


> You are right! But Canadians looks to naive to me.... How you can explain success of door-to-door sales , telemarketing
> , sales of the most expensive in the world mutual and seg funds?
> I get maybe average 3-5 telemarketing calls per week, couple of time per month door-to-door guys are coming etc.... it won't exist if they won't have good profit...
> I got first telemarketing call ,2-3 days after we rented 1st appartment and connected to landline
> Just to compare, we've never got any telemarketing calls when lived in Israel, it just won't work there.... Door-to-door sales were only in 1990-93 when huge number of CCCP immigrant came to the country.... than it stopped, as no one was buying...


Funny you should say that Gibor. Since living here I have never experienced so much cold calling or crap left at the front door trying to sell one service or another.

Not too mention that's how my wife got roped into signing up with Bell :hopelessness::rolleyes2:


----------



## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

liquidfinance said:


> Funny you should say that Gibor. Since living here I have never experienced so much cold calling or crap left at the front door trying to sell one service or another.
> 
> Not too mention that's how my wife got roped into signing up with Bell :hopelessness::rolleyes2:


About crap left at front door or in mail box is another story  Actually, Bell tried to rob us when we disconnected from them...than Rogers tried to do the same...


----------

