Q: Good afternoon!
I have some substantial cash to deploy, ideally into Canadian dividend payers at 4% or more. I already have many of the usual suspects, including the following: ENB, BCE, PPL, BNS, CM, LIF, SIA, T, LIF, BEP.UN, DIR.UN, FSZ
I have been waiting until the December sell-off (i.e. Benj Gallander’s suggestion that it is the best time to buy), hoping to find some that have made the sell list that are good candidates for bounce backs in the future. After observing the market in the early stages of tax-loss selling, would you have some names that might fit that bill? Ideally maybe 5 or 6, although I realize that is a tall order, perhaps! Again, I am seeking dividend paying Canadian equities paying 4% or more.
Thanks! Paul
Q: My husband is 8 years away from retirement and wants to buy dividend stocks to leave mostly alone (not checking daily like me!) - he'll check in on it now and then. This is the list he's come up with - slightly higher positions in BCE, BPF.UN and slightly lower in AW.UN, CAR.UN and OLY, otherwise fairly evenly split. Do you see this a good list for his purposes, and is there anything you would leave off, or add? Any other alarm bells? Thanks!
Q: Hi Peter, Can you provide me your updated thoughts on Olympia. The growth has been outstanding and it pays a 7% yield. Do you think they can grow the dividend. Also any comments on the management would be appreciated - I haven't heard much about them but they keep delivering.
Q: In an earlier response to Olympia Financial Group regarding a 1% interest rate increase/decrease having a 33% increase/decrease on the companies annual earnings you said:
"this sensitivity to interest rates is common for financial companies that earn interest on a large investment holding (such as brokers, insurance) "
Please name 5 Canadian companies more sensitive to interest rates (on earnings) then Olympia Financial Group? I want to track a basket of these stocks.
If you expected rates to be revert to 3-4% for the next 10 years is Olympia still a good investment at these levels today?
Q: Still considering OLY and after reading the report it seems clear what drives earnings as of now, and what can bring them higher or lower quite quickly and that would be, Interest Rates
Olympia noting in the annual report that they are exposed to interest rate risk as the cash portion of the off-balance sheet arrangements ($1.00 billion), from which Olympia Trust earns trust income.
2023 Earnings this year were $21 million... according to the Annual report (pg 26) if rates change +/-1% it is estimated that Olympia’s after-tax earnings for the year increase/decrease $7.69 million (noting prime rate at 7.2%)
So rates drop to 6.2 % and earnings drop over 33%?! Is this not essentially a bet on rates at this point or am I missing something?
I guess reading annual reports could pay off (as knowing this when rates were on the rise with no slowdown coming would have been beneficial)
Q: Hi Peter,
In regards to Adam's question regarding OLY. Would it be appropriate to look at the interest income that OLY has been able to generate as a hedge against higher interest rates. If rates were to move higher, OLY is set up nicely to outperform. The business delivers high ROE in the 50% plus range and should be able to do well in low interest rate environment especially with a dividend in the 7% range. Would you consider it a compounder?
Thanks
Q: I'm looking at starting a position in OLY. But I saw an update yesterday from an investing site adding a new major risk that earnings are forecast to decline and avg of 6.1% for the foreseeable future. Also a high level of non cash earnings (23% accrual ratio). In the recent ER they stated that expenses had increased due to bonuses etc in their investment arm because of the strong performance of the company. I'm wondering if these things all point to a stock that got so high due to a few great quarters, but is now expected to normalize and pull back as earnings decrease? Which could maybe impact the div down the road also. Is the high performance behind them and the future looks to normalize? Thx
Q: How well do you know this company and its management?
Interest rates have really helped clearly but seems like they have made some nice moves ...2021 acquisition of 40,000 accounts from community/Computershare Trust right before rates went up... relaunching the CSS and increasing mortgage loan originations
Also from what I read they are the dominant player in Canada for alternative investments (growing) by a large margin is this true and why are there no other players in this? Noted that TMX Group and Western Pacifc are the only other options in Canada for these investments.
Sharecount has seemed stable for close to 10 years down 90,000 shares.
Any other thoughts?
Q: Can I ask you to do a “mental screen” for a few mid-cap Cdn companies that pay over a 3% dividend while having the potential for above average growth in the medium to longer term? Please omit SIS, PBH, EIF and NWC (already owned) and leave out anything in the energy sector. I’m assuming not much in the small cap space would meet the div. criteria and not much in the large cap space meets the growth criteria, but if you think anything there is compelling please include as well. Thank you.
I want to get your thoughts on Olympia Financial (OLY) and its big run up. What do you think of its current valuation - is it expensive and what do you think of it in a TFSA. Also can you comment on its growth and ROE. Would you add it or wait for a pull back.
Q: Increased dividend 30% in December and 28% yesterday. Seems rather good. I would appreciate your thought on this company for the future? Seems firing on all four? Thanks for all you do.