Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. bought back US$1-billion of its own stock at a premium price on Christmas Eve, after selling a stake in a subsidiary for US$900-million to institutional investors OMERS and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
A global property and casualty (P&C) insurance company, Fairfax announced plans in November to buy back up to 8.7 percent of its own stock at a price of between US$425 and US$500 for each subordinated voting share. At the same time, Fairfax said it sold a 9.9 percent stake in its Stamford, Conn-based division Odyssey Group Holdings Inc. to CPPIB and OMERS, two of Canada’s largest pension fund managers.
Fairfax is the latest in a string of Canadian financial services companies to launch significant share buybacks, as regulators ease capital restrictions imposed during the pandemic and allow banks and insurers to deploy their cash as they see fit.
Toronto-based Fairfax set the purchase price on its buyback last Friday using a “modified Dutch auction”, which allows shareholders to select the price they are willing to tender their stock. The auction was “modestly oversubscribed,” according to a report by analyst Phil Hardie at Scotiabank.
Fairfax ended up acquiring two million shares at US$500 each, the top end of its pre-set range. That day, Fairfax shares closed at US$464.02 on the New York Stock Exchange, so the buyback played out at an 8 per cent premium to where the company’s stock was trading at the time.
The decision to sell a stake in a subsidiary and use the capital to buy back shares “provided an elegant solution to enhancing book value per share in the near term while also supporting future growth,” said Mr. Hardie.
The CPPIB and OMERS investment valued Odyssey at 1.7 times its book value. In contrast, the buyback saw Fairfax repurchase its own shares at a 10 per cent discount to the company’s reported book value, which is US$561.88 per share. Mr. Hardie said: “The Odyssey deal highlights the significant gap between Fairfax’s stock price and the estimated intrinsic value of the company and its holdings.”
Fairfax, controlled by entrepreneur Prem Watsa, also raised capital in October by selling a 14 per cent interest in London-based reinsurance subsidiary Brit Ltd. to OMERS for US$375-million.
Historically, Fairfax has used the cash generated from its operating companies and investments to grow through acquisitions, rather than to pay for share buybacks. In recent years, the company expanded in India and Africa.
The property, casualty and reinsurance industries are consolidating around their largest players, which include Fairfax. “With P&C business becoming more risky and complex, capital requirements and need for reinsurance will rise,” said Swiss Re, the world’s largest reinsurer in a recent report. The Zurich-based company said: “Property will be the fastest growing segment, with global premiums forecast to increase by 5.3 percent annually to 2040. Climate risks will be a main driver of the growth in property.”
Fairfax is expected to continue snapping up smaller rivals. In a report last week, analyst Mark Dwelle at RBC Capital Markets said: “The company has well over $1 billion of holding company cash and has the operating flexibility to pursue a variety of near term and long-term growth initiatives and acquisitions.”
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TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 100 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in base metal and utility stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 103.40 points at 24,542.48.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 192.31 points at 42,932.73. The S&P 500 index was up 7.14 points at 5,822.40, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.03 points at 18,306.56.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.44 cents US on Tuesday.
The November crude oil contract was down 71 cents at US$69.87 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down eight cents at US$2.42 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$7.20 at US$2,686.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$4.35 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also headed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 205.86 points at 24,508.12.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 336.62 points at 42,790.74. The S&P 500 index was up 34.19 points at 5,814.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 60.27 points at 18.342.32.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.71 cents US on Thursday.
The November crude oil contract was down 15 cents at US$75.70 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$29.60 at US$2,668.90 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$4.47 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was little changed in late-morning trading as the financial sector fell, but energy and base metal stocks moved higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.05 of a point at 24,224.95.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 94.31 points at 42,417.69. The S&P 500 index was down 10.91 points at 5,781.13, while the Nasdaq composite was down 29.59 points at 18,262.03.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.71 cents US compared with 73.05 cents US on Wednesday.
The November crude oil contract was up US$1.69 at US$74.93 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up a penny at US$2.67 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$14.70 at US$2,640.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$4.42 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.
