CIBC is prepared to weather this storm

Article Excerpt

COVID-19 has forced CIBC to increase its provisions for possible future loan losses. However, the bank remains well capitalized and should continue to cut costs as the virus speeds up its customers’ shift to online banking. CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE $98 is a buy. It’s (Toronto symbol CM; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 445.1 million; Market cap: $43.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 6.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cibc.com) is the smallest of Canada’s Big Five banks by market cap. CIBC is now working to reduce its reliance on Canada, which now accounts for about 90% of its revenue. As part of that strategy, it paid $6.6 billion in cash and stock for Chicago’s PrivateBancorp in June 2017. That firm mainly lends to small and medium-sized businesses. Thanks to that purchase, overall revenue jumped 34.3%, from $13.86 billion in 2015 to $18.61 billion in 2019 (fiscal years end October 31). Excluding costs to integrate the new operations, overall earnings gained…