Updates on Our Safety-conscious Stocks Bank of Nova Scotia, BCE, Great-West Lifeco and Manitoba Telecom Services

Article Excerpt

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA $33.65 (Toronto symbol BNS: Shares outstanding: 991.9 million; Market cap: $33.4 billion; SI Rating: Above average) has completed the $2.3 billion purchase of Sun Life Financial’s 37% stake in TSX-listed CI Financial Income Fund, Canada’s third-largest mutual fund company. Bank of Nova Scotia’s revenue in its fiscal year ended October 31, 2008 fell 4.9%, to $11.9 billion from $12.5 billion. Earnings per share excluding writedowns fell 3.5%, to $3.87 from $4.01. The bank still has around $690 million U.S. of exposure to asset-based commercial paper. However, even in the unlikely event that the entire portfolio became worthless, that would mean at worst a potential after-tax loss in the range of $200 million. That’s manageable, given that the bank made $315 million in the latest quarter, even after $642 million in writedowns. Bank of Nova Scotia now trades at just 9.6 next year’s forecast earnings of $3.50 a share. Bank of Nova Scotia is a buy. BCE $24.32 (Toronto symbol BCE;…