You should opt for IGM over Great-West

Article Excerpt

Interest rate cuts in Canada and the U.S., along with coronavirus fears, will continue to hurt the performance of Great-West’s investment portfolio. The insurer relies on strong returns on those investments to help pay future claims. On the other hand, low rates should increase demand for IGM’s mutual funds. While we continue to see both stocks as great holdings for conservative income seekers, we see IGM as the better choice for your new buying. GREAT-WEST LIFECO INC. $27 remains a hold. The company (Toronto symbol GWO; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; shares outstanding: 926.3 million; Market cap: $25.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 6.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.greatwestlifeco.com) is Canada’s second-largest life insurer, after Manulife Financial. It also offers mutual funds and wealth management. Power Financial Corp. (Toronto symbol PWF) owns 70.92% of the firm. In the quarter ended December 31, 2019, Great-West’s revenue fell 8.6%, to $10.7 billion from $11.7 billion a year earlier. That decline was mainly due to…