TSE:GWO

Great West Lifeco (GWO.TO)

92.34
+1.09 (1.19%)
as of Jul 15, 2026, 8:00:00 pm Market Open.
417 watching
0
Investor Insights
star iconJul 15, 2026, 12:00 am

This summary was created by AI, based on 7 opinions in the last 12 months.

Great West Lifeco (GWO) has garnered positive attention from analysts, with many noting its strong technical performance and ability to hit new highs. The company is recognized for its stable earnings stemming from its insurance operations, complemented by a respectable dividend yield, which varies in analysts' reviews from 3.5% to as high as 5%. While some experts indicate it's a sturdy investment with potential for dividend growth in the high single digits, they also caution about the current high valuation as it trades above 12x PE. Comparisons with other financials like MFC suggest that GWO has a lower beta, implying that it hasn't experienced the same market volatility, making it a more stable investment. Despite some analysts suggesting a wait for better entry points or more attractive valuations, the company remains a core holding for investors seeking income with growth potential.

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Consensus
Buy
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Valuation
Overvalued
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Similar
MFC
BUY

(See Top Picks for the insurance company that he prefers.) Likes the insurance space because they fund their liabilities through their investments. They can re-deploy a lot of cash now. Reasonable dividend (4.5%) and valuation. Prefers MFC-T. You can also buy Power Financial Corp which holds GWO-T.

PAST TOP PICK

(A Top Pick March 30/12. Up 17.3%.) Completed the acquisition of Irish Life which will add about $0.10-$0.12 in earnings next year. They are overdue to raise the dividend and expects this later this year or early next year.

PAST TOP PICK

(A Top Pick Feb 29/12. Up 7.8%.) Preferred P series 5.4%. This is a perpetual. He is bullish on the market so he wants to be a bit longer-term.

BUY

Acquired Irish Life Group, which will be accretive as they got this at a bargain price. Owns this through Power Financial (PWF-T).

HOLD

(Market Call Minute.) It’s a complicated business down in the US and they are struggling with it.

TOP PICK

With this lifeco, your dividend is solidly and safely covered. 4.84% yield. He is looking for stocks that are cheap with a good yield for the coming year. Wouldn’t be surprised if it got 15%-20% higher from here.

DON'T BUY

(Market Call Minute.) Wake him up when it is all over. Just can’t get fired up on the lifecos right now.

TOP PICK

Preferred Series R, 4.8%. A recent new issue. It will be sometime before it is called. A perpetual. Has the 2017 and then being $26 reduces down to $25 by 2021.

DON'T BUY

Great West Life (GWO-T) or Power Financial (PWF-T)? He is out of this space completely. They need higher interest rates and he doesn’t see them going up anytime soon.

COMMENT

Thinks it’s a good company. Has escaped some of the problems that Manulife (MFC –T) has had. He participates in this through owning Power Financial (PWF-T) which has got a pretty good dividend. There is probably still some downside risk with the lifecos.

BUY

Likes the Canadian insurance sector. This company is controlled by Power Corp (POW-T). Very high quality company. Did not get into financial trouble during the financial crisis. Very secure dividend and very well run.

TOP PICK

Preferred P 5.4%. Likes that it is a non-bank financial. Represents a lot of good value.

WEAK BUY
He has not been in the insurance area for a while. Owns it through Power Financial.
BUY ON WEAKNESS
Not one that he typically owns. They sell at a premium compared to others although they deserved it. Lately they had somewhat of a miss in the most recent quarter. If it got down around the $20 level it would be a good place to take a hard look at it. Prefers SLF and MFC.
BUY
Just had earnings and were downgraded by one company from Outperform to a Market Perform so the stock dropped. In the lifecos, this is the one he likes. It is the conservative one. Market had been retreating for 4 or 5 days and this one had held but finally got caught in the downdraft. Good price. 5% yield and the dividend is quite safe.
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