Diversify With These Two Leaders

Article Excerpt

Many Canadians tend to stick with the five big banks when it comes to the Finance segment of their portfolios. While we do recommend that most investors hold two or more bank stocks, you should also diversify your holdings with high-quality non-bank stocks such as Great-West Lifeco or IGM Financial. Both companies are leaders in their fields (insurance and mutual funds), are cheap in relation to earnings and have long histories of rising dividends. Their conservative investing styles have also helped shield them from big writedowns of securities backed by subprime mortgages and other risky assets. GREAT-WEST LIFECO INC. $32 (Toronto symbol GWO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 892.5 million; Market cap: $28.6 billion; SI Rating: Above average) is Canada’s largest insurance company, with over $400 billion in assets under administration. Power Corp. controls 70% of Great-West’s shares. Great-West sells life insurance and health insurance, directly and through brokers, to groups and individuals under the Great-West, London Life and Canada Life…