Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Could you please share your thoughts on Equitable Group? Do you feel this company is a buy?

Article Excerpt

Equitable Group Inc., $30.92, symbol ETC on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 15.0 million; Market cap: $462.5 million; www.equitablegroupinc.net), is a niche mortgage lender that provides first mortgages and mortgages insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Equitable Group provides its mortgages through its wholly owned subsidiary, Equitable Trust. The company focuses on providing first mortgages on homes to customers who don’t meet the stricter criteria of conventional banks. Equitable Group also provides mortgages for multi-unit residential properties and businesses. The company mainly finances its lending by accepting deposits through the issuance of GICs. Equitable Group continues to report rising revenue and earnings. The stock trades at just 8.7 times the $3.54 a share that the company is expected to earn this year. The shares yield 1.4%. The company raised its dividend with the February 2011 payment, and further increases are possible. Equitable Group is okay to hold. ..