Topic: Growth Stocks

FAIRFAX FINANCIAL HOLDINGS $362.94 – Toronto symbol FFH

FAIRFAX FINANCIAL HOLDINGS $362.94 (Toronto symbol FFH: TSINetwork Rating: Average) (416-367-2612; www.fairfax.ca; Shares outstanding: 19.9 million; Market cap: $7.2 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%) mainly sells insurance and reinsurance, but it also manages investments, including a $3.8-billion stock portfolio. To protect these stock investments against a market drop, the company has insured its entire portfolio using derivatives.

This strategy lowers the company’s losses if markets drop, but it also cuts sharply into share-price gains when markets go up. That means that if markets continue to rise—as we think they will—Fairfax’s derivatives will significantly hold back the company’s share price.

Fairfax is now a sell.

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