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Canada's Big Banks: Are They Buys in This Market Rally? – The Motley Fool Canada

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4 years ago

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The markets are doing their best to bounce back from the steepest bear market in history. Last week, the S&P/TSX Composite Index eked out a 0.42% gain, and it is now up 12% since the start of April. Increasingly, the market rally looks sustainable, and investors are looking to once again buy into the markets. Canada’s big banks should be at the top of your list. 

The market is rallying on the backs of only a few sectors — tech in particular. While technology stocks are hitting 52-week highs, financials continue to struggle. The S&P/TSX Financial Index is only up 1.2% in April, far below the Index average. 

Year to date, financials are trailing the index by approximately 10 percentage points. Canada’s big banks are usually strong performers. This is not so in 2020, as all the Big Five are trailing the Index. 

Since they have yet to find their footing, it remains a good time to pick up Canada’s big banks at discounted valuations. Here are two of the cheapest. 

Canada’s worst-performing big bank 

Let’s start with the worst performing of the Big Five, Bank of Montreal (TSX:BMO)(NYSE:BMO). In 2020, Bank of Montreal stock is down by 32.91%, far outpacing its peers. 

Why the underperformance? On the surface, the bank is one of the most exposed to the Canadian oil and gas industry. With oil prices trading at prices not seen in decades, the entire industry is at risk of insolvency. This means that banks with high exposure could potentially experience high loan losses. 

Unfortunately, Canada’s big banks don’t report quarterly results until the end of May. As such, investors won’t get clarity on the magnitude of impact until such time. That being said, I believe Bank of Montreal is trading at levels that are tough to ignore.

Let’s put BMO’s exposure to oil and gas into perspective. First, oil and gas only account for approximately 2.5% of outstanding loans. Second, when you take into account the undrawn credit facilities, Bank of Montreal is actually one of the least exposed to the industry. 

The bank is trading at only 7.01 times earnings, 1.01 times book value, and at a 37.2% discount to historical averages. There is none cheaper among Canada’s big banks. 

A top performer

Speaking of cheap, another Big Five bank that is currently trading at a big discount to historical averages is Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD). As of writing, TD Bank is trading at a 32.3% discount to historical averages. In fact, it has only been this cheap once before, and that was during the Financial Crisis. 

Over the past decade, TD Bank has been the best-performing Canadian big bank. In 2020, its 24.66% loss is second only to Royal Bank of Canada. Why does it consistently outperform? It has the highest exposure to the U.S. markets. Since the U.S. has far outpaced the Canadian economy, it is therefore not surprising that TD Bank has outperformed the Big Five. 

Across the board, earnings growth is expected to turn negative in 2020. In 2021, TD Bank is expected to post earnings-growth rates of 5.71%. Although below the company’s five-year double-digit average, it is the second-highest growth rate among Canada’s big banks. 

Finally, TD Bank’s dividend is among the safest in the world. At 43%, it has the lowest payout ratio of its peers and has averaged higher dividend growth. Earlier this year, the company raised the quarterly dividend by 6.76%. 

As the U.S. looks to re-open, TD Bank will surely be among the first of Canada’s big banks to rebound in a broader market rally. 

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Fool contributor Mat Litalien owns shares of BANK OF MONTREAL and TORONTO-DOMINION BANK.

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What Difference Will You Make to an Employer?

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10 hours ago

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October 21, 2024

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It’s common knowledge that companies don’t hire the most qualified candidates. Employers hire the person they believe will deliver the best value in exchange for their payroll cost.

Since most job seekers know the above, I’m surprised that so few mention their Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Most job seekers list their education, skills, and experience without substantiating them and expect employers to determine whether they can benefit their company; hence, most resumes and LinkedIn profiles are just a list of opinions—borderline platitudes—that are meaningless and, therefore, have no value. Job seekers need to better explain, along with providing evidence, how they’ll contribute to an employer’s success.

Employers don’t hire opinions (read: talk is cheap); they hire results.

You’re not offering anything tangible when you claim:

 

  • I’m a great communicator.
  • I’m detail oriented.
  • I’m a team player.

 

Tangible:

 

  • “At Global Dynamics, I held quarterly town hall meetings with my 22 sales reps, highlighting our accomplishments, identifying opportunity areas, and recognizing outstanding performers.”
  • “For eight years, I managed Vandelay Industries IT department, overseeing a staff of 18 and a 12-million-dollar budget while coordinating cross-specialty projects. My strong attention to detail is why I never exceeded budget.”
  • “While working at Cyberdyne Systems, I was part of the customer service team, consisting of nine of us, striving to improve our response time. Through collaboration and sharing of best practices, we reduced our average response time from 48 to 12 business hours, resulting in a 35% improvement in customer feedback ratings.”

 

These examples of tangible answers provide employers with what they most want to hear from candidates but rarely do; what value the candidate will bring to the company. Typically, job seekers present their skills, experience, and unsubstantiated opinions and expect recruiters and employers to figure out their value, which is a lazy practice.

Getting hired isn’t based on “I have an MBA in Marketing and Sales,” “I’ve been a web designer for over 15 years,” “I’m young, beautiful and energetic,” blah, blah, blah. Likewise, being rejected isn’t based on “I’m overqualified,” “I’m too old,” “I don’t have enough education,” blah, blah, blah. Getting hired depends entirely on showing employers that you can add value and substance to their company; that you’ll serve a purpose.

When you articulate a solid value offer, the “blah, blah, blah” doesn’t matter. Job seekers focus too much on the “blah, blah, blah,” and when not hired, they say, “It’s not me, it’s…” The biggest mistake I see job seekers make is focusing on the “blah, blah, blah”—their experience and education—believing this is what interests employers. Hiring managers are more interested in whether you can solve the problems the position exists to solve than in your education and experience.

 

Not impressive: Education

Impressive: A track record of achieving tangible results.

 

You aren’t who you say you are; you are what you do.

 

If you want to be somebody who works hard, you have to actually work hard. If you want to be somebody who goes to the gym, you actually have to go to the gym. If you want to be a good friend, spouse, or colleague, you have to actually be a good friend, spouse, or colleague. Actions build reputations, not words.

The biggest challenge job seekers face today is differentiating themselves. To stand out and be memorable, don’t be like most job seekers, someone who’s all talk and no action. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that the job market is heavily populated with job seekers who talk themselves up, talk a “good game” about everything they can “supposedly” do, drop names, etc., but have nothing to show for it.

More than ever, employers want to hear candidates offer a value proposition summarizing what value they bring. If you’re looking for a low-hanging fruit method to differentiate yourself, do what job seekers hardly ever do and make a hard-to-ignore value proposition.

  1. Increase sales: “Based on my experience managing Regina and Saskatoon for PharmaKorp, I’m confident that I can increase BioGen’s sales by no less than 25% in Winnipeg and the surrounding area by the end of 2025.”
  2. Reduce cost: “During my 12 years as Taco Town’s head of purchasing, I renegotiated contracts with key suppliers, resulting in 15% cost savings, saving the company over $450,000 annually. I know I can do the same for The Pasta House.”
  3. Increase customer satisfaction:“During my time at Globex Corporation, I established a systematic feedback mechanism that enabled customers to share their experiences. This led to targeted improvements, increasing our Net Promoter Score by 15 points. I can increase Dunder Mifflin’s net promoter score.”
  4. Save time: “As Zap Delivery’s dispatcher, I implemented advanced routing software that analyzed traffic patterns, reducing average delivery times by 20%. My implementation of this software at Froggy’s Delivery can reduce your delivery times by at least 20%, if not more.”

 

If you want to achieve job search success as soon as possible, structure your job search with a single thread that’s evident and consistent throughout your résumé, LinkedIn profile, cover letters and especially during interviews; clearly convey what difference you’ll make to the employer.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

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Netflix’s subscriber growth slows as gains from password-sharing crackdown subside

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4 days ago

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October 17, 2024

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Netflix on Thursday reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.

The 5.1 million subscribers that Netflix added during the July-September period represented a 42% decline from the total gained during the same time last year. Even so, the company’s revenue and profit rose at a faster pace than analysts had projected, according to FactSet Research.

Netflix ended September with 282.7 million worldwide subscribers — far more than any other streaming service.

The Los Gatos, California, company earned $2.36 billion, or $5.40 per share, a 41% increase from the same time last year. Revenue climbed 15% from a year ago to $9.82 billion. Netflix management predicted the company’s revenue will rise at the same 15% year-over-year pace during the October-December period, slightly than better than analysts have been expecting.

The strong financial performance in the past quarter coupled with the upbeat forecast eclipsed any worries about slowing subscriber growth. Netflix’s stock price surged nearly 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out, building upon a more than 40% increase in the company’s shares so far this year.

The past quarter’s subscriber gains were the lowest posted in any three-month period since the beginning of last year. That drop-off indicates Netflix is shifting to a new phase after reaping the benefits from a ban on the once-rampant practice of sharing account passwords that enabled an estimated 100 million people watch its popular service without paying for it.

The crackdown, triggered by a rare loss of subscribers coming out of the pandemic in 2022, helped Netflix add 57 million subscribers from June 2022 through this June — an average of more than 7 million per quarter, while many of its industry rivals have been struggling as households curbed their discretionary spending.

Netflix’s gains also were propelled by a low-priced version of its service that included commercials for the first time in its history. The company still is only getting a small fraction of its revenue from the 2-year-old advertising push, but Netflix is intensifying its focus on that segment of its business to help boost its profits.

In a letter to shareholder, Netflix reiterated previous cautionary notes about its expansion into advertising, though the low-priced option including commercials has become its fastest growing segment.

“We have much more work to do improving our offering for advertisers, which will be a priority over the next few years,” Netflix management wrote in the letter.

As part of its evolution, Netflix has been increasingly supplementing its lineup of scripted TV series and movies with live programming, such as a Labor Day spectacle featuring renowned glutton Joey Chestnut setting a world record for gorging on hot dogs in a showdown with his longtime nemesis Takeru Kobayashi.

Netflix will be trying to attract more viewer during the current quarter with a Nov. 15 fight pitting former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson against Jake Paul, a YouTube sensation turned boxer, and two National Football League games on Christmas Day.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store

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October 17, 2024

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