INTACT FINANCIAL $88.20 - Toronto symbol IFC

INTACT FINANCIAL $88.20 (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-341- 1464; www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 131.5 million; Market cap: $11.5 billion; Dividend yield: 2.4%) is Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance, based on premiums. Its brands include Intact Insurance, Canada BrokerLink and belairdirect.

In the three months ended September 30, 2015, Intact’s revenue rose 9.4%, to $2.09 billion from $1.91 billion a year earlier. Revenue improved across all of the company’s insurance lines and geographic regions.

Earnings rose 7.6%, to $199 million, or $1.47 a share, from $185 million, or $1.37.

Intact continues to write more-profitable insurance policies and cut its operating costs. The company reported a combined ratio, or claims paid out divided by premiums taken in (the lower, the better) of 93.2% in the latest quarter, unchanged from a year earlier.

The stock trades at 13.0 times Intact’s forecast 2016 earnings of $6.81 a share. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 10.4% with the March 2015 payment, to $0.53 from $0.48. The shares yield 2.4%.

Intact Financial is a buy.

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.