Topic: Dividend Stocks

CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE $82 – Toronto symbol CM

CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE $82 (Toronto symbol CM; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 400.0 million; Market cap: $32.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 4.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cibc.com) has launched Aventura, a new credit card loyalty plan for travellers. Aventura cards let users earn points on their purchases and redeem them for free flights and other benefits.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (see page 104) recently replaced CIBC as the primary issuer of cards under the popular Aeroplan loyalty program. As part of the deal, CIBC will hang on to Aeroplan accounts held by customers who also bank at CIBC. That’s about half the Aeroplan portfolio.

The bank estimates that losing half of the Aeroplan business will cut its annual earnings by $0.45 a share; in the year ended October 31, 2012, it earned $8.07 a share. However, the additional benefits of the Aventura plan, including letting users fly on any airline and not just Air Canada, should help it attract more customers.

CIBC is a buy.

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