Great-West takes a hit

Article Excerpt

GREAT-WEST LIFECO, $31.54, is still a hold. The company (Toronto symbol GWO; shares o/s: 931.8 million; Market cap: $29.1 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Yield: 6.2%; www.greatwestlifeco.com) is Canada’s second-largest life insurer, after Manulife Financial. The company also sells reinsurance policies. Reinsurance is coverage that an insurance company purchases from another insurance company to insulate itself (at least in part) from the risk of a major claims event. Due to damage in Atlantic Canada caused by Hurricane Ian, Great-West has set aside $100 million U.S. to cover the expected claims. That provision will cut the company’s earnings in the third quarter of 2022 by about $130 million, or $0.14 a share. To put that charge in context, it earned $830 million, or $0.89 a share, in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the stock yields a very high 6.2%. Great-West Lifeco is still a hold. hold…