Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat: What is your opinion on Genworth MI Canada Inc.? Symbol MIC. Thank you.

Article Excerpt

A: Genworth MI Canada, $41.30, symbol MIC on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 91.9 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; www.genworth.ca), is the second largest Canadian mortgage insurer. It provides this service through its subsidiary, Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company of Canada. Genworth’s U.S. parent, Genworth Financial (symbol GNW on New York) owns 57% of Genworth MI Canada and is now the subject of a takeover bid by China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co., Ltd. Oceanwide is a privately held, family-owned international financial holding group founded by Lu Zhiqiang. If Oceanwide’s proposed acquisition fails to win regulatory approval—a real possibility given the multiple layers of regulatory approval required—then Genworth Financial will likely have to sell some of its assets in order to fund its upcoming debt maturities. That includes $600 million U.S. due in May 2018. Refinancing that debt seems unlikely given Genworth Financial’s heavy exposure to the highly troubled U.S. long-term-care insurance market. As part of its deal with Oceanwide, that buyer has pledged to contribute…