Insurers—one P&C, one Life—offer solid yields

Article Excerpt

Insurance companies are vulnerable to catastrophic events and other unforeseen events like COVID-19. However, these two insurers continue to benefit as higher interest rates boost returns from their fixed-income securities (mainly bonds). That should let them keep raising your dividends. INTACT FINANCIAL CORP. $208 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol IFC; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 178.3 million; Market cap: $37.1 billion; Dividend yield: 2.1%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.intactfc.com) is Canada’s largest property and casualty insurance provider. With the March 2023 payment, the company raised your quarterly dividend by 10.0%, to $1.10 a share from $1.00. The annual rate of $4.40 yields a solid 2.1%. In the quarter ended September 30, 2023, the insurer collected $5.93 billion in premiums, up 9.2% from $5.42 billion a year earlier. Premiums were higher due to solid results in its personal lines business and from its three operating regions: Canada, the U.K. and Ireland, and the U.S. Intact’s net operating income fell 24.2%, to $370 million,…