Time to invest in their expanding niches

Article Excerpt

Long-time readers know that we keep you informed of important news about the stocks we cover. That means highlighting developments and plans that promise to brighten prospects for investors. Here are two buys that stand out this month: INTACT FINANCIAL, $177.20, is a buy. The insurer (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 176.1 million; Market cap: $31.6 billion; Dividend yield: 2.3%) reports that in the three months ended March 31, 2022, its revenue jumped 100.3%, to $5.09 billion from $2.54 billion a year earlier. Overall earnings per share climbed 12.5%, to $2.70 from $2.40. The gains came in part from the RSA acquisition, but also from improved profitability. That was fuelled by lower catastrophe-related losses and lower auto claims. “Hard market conditions” also played a role. That’s when demand for insurance is high, and companies like Intact can enforce stricter rules about what kind of risks they are willing to insure. This generally means writing more profitable policies. With the March 2022 payment,…