Power makes some moves

Article Excerpt

POWER CORP., $36.14, is a buy. The conglomerate (Toronto symbol POW; Shares o/s: 612.3 million; Market cap: $24.2 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 5.5%) owns controlling stakes in Great-West Lifeco, IGM Financial and robo-advisor Wealthsimple. It also owns 14.9% of Belgian holding company Groupe Bruxelles Lambert. Power Corp. has now completed the sale of its 13.9% stake in China Asset Management Co., Ltd. to IGM Financial (64.9% held by Power) for $1.15 billion. China Asset is one of that country’s largest mutual fund sellers. In a separate transaction, IGM sold 15.2 million of the shares it holds in insurer Great-West Lifeco Inc. to Power Corp. for $552.7 million. As a result, Power Corp. now owns 68.2% of Great-West’s shares. Meanwhile, Power Corp. intends to use a portion of the remaining proceeds from the China Asset sale to buy back its own shares. Power Corporation is a buy. buy. …