CIBC raises your dividend

Article Excerpt

CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE $58 is a buy. The bank, (Toronto symbol CM; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 924.0 million; Market cap: $53.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 6.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cibc.com) in response to rising interest rates and inflation, set aside $541 million in its fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, ended October 31, 2023, to cover potential future loan losses. That’s up 24.1% from $436 million a year earlier. In response, the bank is reducing other costs, including cutting 5% of its workforce. Those savings helped lift CIBC’s earnings before unusual items in the quarter by 16.2%, to $1.51 billion from $1.30 billion a year earlier. Due to more shares outstanding, per-share earnings improved 12.9%, to $1.57 a share from $1.39. The bank remains confident in its prospects. In fact, with the January 2024 payment, CIBC will raise your quarterly dividend by 3.4%. Investors will then receive $0.90 a share instead of $0.87. The new annual rate…