Stable markets should fuel more gains

Article Excerpt

Great-West Lifeco and IGM Financial get a big part of their earnings from fee income that varies with the value of the securities they manage. Rising stock markets have increased earnings at both companies. As well, both are taking fewer writedowns on bonds and mortgage-backed securities because of improving credit markets. GREAT-WEST LIFECO INC. $25 (Toronto symbol GWO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 947.9 million; Market cap: $23.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 4.9%; SI Rating: Above Average) is Canada’s largest insurance company, with $460.2 billion of assets under management. That’s up 4.1% in the past year. Great-West also sells retirement-planning and wealth-management services. Canada accounts for 55% of its earnings, followed by Europe (33%) and the U.S. (12%). In the three months ended June 30, 2010, Great-West’s earnings rose 4.8%, to $433 million, or $0.46 a share, from $413 million, or $0.44 a share, a year earlier. The gain came despite the higher Canadian dollar, which hurt contributions from the…