Intact grows with savvy acquisitions

Article Excerpt

Intact Financial is now hitting new highs—and the shares are up a spectacular 364% since we first recommended them at $42.95 in our April 2010 issue. We think this Power Buy is poised to keep moving even higher for our subscribers. INTACT FINANCIAL, $199.33, is a buy. The insurer (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 175.4 million; Market cap: $35.2 billion; Dividend yield: 2.0%) is Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty coverage: it insures more than five million individuals and businesses. Intact Insurance, Canada BrokerLink and belairdirect are its major brands. In a bid to add value for investors, the company acquired OneBeacon Insurance Group for $1.7 billion U.S. in September 2017. The Minnesota-based insurance holding company focuses on property-casualty coverage. Through its businesses, the firm provides a range of specialty insurance products. OneBeacon represented Intact’s entry into the U.S. market to drive future growth. Still expanding beyond its home market, plus an acquisition of this size, adds risk. The firm is nonetheless…