Topic: Blue Chip Stocks

Blue chip stocks: TD Bank and Royal Bank both make big cross-border purchases

Royal Bank and TD Bank

Last week, we looked at how two big U.S. banks are progressing under tighter regulations from the U.S. Federal Reserve (see New banking rules are golden for J.P. Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo looks to takeovers to deliver more customers, higher dividends).

Today we look at what new business in the U.S. is doing for two of Canada’s big banks, Royal Bank and TD Bank. By increasing emphasis on the U.S., the two banks aim to strengthen their international business. This should reinforce both of these blue chip stocks as dependable buys in a slower Canadian economy.

These two banks are making timely acquisitions south of the border. We feel these purchases will help both profit from an improving U.S. economy, while the lower Canadian dollar enhances these businesses’ revenue and profits.

TORONTO-DOMINION BANK
(Toronto symbol TD; www.td.com) recently agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to department store operator Nordstrom (New York symbol JWN) for its U.S. credit card portfolio. These loans total $2.2 billion U.S.; TD expects to complete the purchase by the end of 2015.

Separately, TD has agreed to become the exclusive issuer of Nordstrom-branded Visa and private label credit cards.

Under the deal, which is similar to the bank’s March 2013 purchase of Target’s credit card portfolio, Nordstrom will keep receiving most of the earnings from its card operations. However, TD will also get a share, and it stands to benefit as more Nordstrom shoppers adopt the cards.

The bank should earn $4.55 a share in fiscal 2015, and the stock trades at 11.6 times that estimate. The $2.04 dividend yields 3.8%.

Recommendation in The Successful Investor: BUY 


Profit from Canada’s real blue chip stocks

Pat McKeough identifies the true blue chips. Some stocks with the “blue chip” label are resting on past glories and no longer deserve the name, says Pat. In The Successful Investor, he recommends stocks like BCE, TransCanada, TD Bank and Imperial Oil whose strong performance and intelligent management make them blue chips you can continue to rely on for growth and income.

To discover the blue chip stocks you should be investing in, try The Successful Investor at a special price

Learn more  >>


Blue chip stocks: Royal sells off banking businesses in Suriname and Switzerland, adds City National of Los Angeles

ROYAL BANK OF CANADA (Toronto symbol RY; www.rbc.com) continues to sell its less promising overseas operations as it shifts its international focus to the U.S., U.K. and Asia.

For example, it recently sold its retail banking business in the country of Suriname, South America.

It’s also selling its Swiss private banking operations to SYZ Group for an undisclosed sum. This subsidiary offers wealth management services to wealthy investors from emerging markets like Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Royal aims to complete its purchase of Los Angeles-based City National (New York symbol CYN) by the end of 2015. City National focuses on wealthy individuals and lending to businesses in the entertainment, technology and health care industries. Royal plans to merge it with its U.S. wealth management operations.

Royal will pay $5.4 billion U.S. (50% in cash and 50% in shares) for City National. It will start contributing to the bank’s earnings in two years.

The stock trades at 11.5 times Royal’s forecast fiscal 2015 earnings of $6.63 a share. The $3.08 dividend yields 4.1%.

Recommendation in The Successful Investor: BUY

Comments

Tell Us What YOU Think

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Please be respectful with your comments and help us keep this an area that everyone can enjoy. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Terms of Use, please click here to report it to the administrator.