These banks can handle a slowdown

Article Excerpt

Canada’s Big Five banks maintained their regular dividend payments during two of the biggest financial shocks in the past 20 years—the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the global economy may slow in 2023, we expect these two banks will continue to raise their dividends this year and beyond. BANK OF MONTREAL $133 is a buy. The bank (Toronto symbol BMO; Income-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 677.1 million; Market cap: $90.1 billion; Dividend yield: 4.3%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.bmo.com) will raise its quarterly dividend for shareholders with the February 2023 payment. Investors will then receive $1.43 a share. That’s up 2.9% from $1.39. The new annual rate of $5.72 yields a high 4.3%. In December 2021, Bank of Montreal agreed to buy California-based Bank of the West from France’s BNP Paribas for $16.3 billion U.S. Bank of the West has 514 branches in 24 states across the Midwest and Western part of the U.S. It has total assets of…