Manulife Financial (MFC.TO) Buy, Sell or Hold

Manulife Financial (MFC.TO)

61.50

-0.03 (0.05%)

as of Sep 24, 2026, 8:00:00 pm Market Open.

1632 watching

WAIT

Looking at this very closely. Likes fundamentals of their insurance business including geographic diversity and successful acquisitions. The problem is exposure to equity markets in terms of segregated products. Still vulnerable. Would wait until you are more confident that the turn has happened.

BUY

The negative for them was that if the market continued to fall, they had obligations that would have hurt them. With the market recovering, this is one you could look at.

HOLD

(Market Call Minute.) If you are going to sell, it should have been a while ago.

BUY

D’Alessandro, retiring CEO, over the years has done a magnificent job. What occurred in 2008 was unfortunate for everyone and is no reflection on his large retirement package. Part of the reason for the miserable performance was the guaranteed insurance contracts. When the market comes back they will be adjusted upwards and hopefully more than offset the write-offs.

DON'T BUY

(Market Call Minute.) Stock market exposure is too large.

COMMENT

Caller: Thinking of selling $16 April Put and collecting $1.50 and selling May $19 covered Call to either exit the stock with a profit or double his position with a lower total cost. Richard: Fine strategy if you are bullish and like the outlook for this company. He thinks it will come out of this okay.

BUY

Largest and most successful life insurance company in North America. Has been tarred with the same brush as AIG, which was a massive overreaction. You have the opportunity of buying this at book value.

COMMENT

Good business and good company but is really a call on the stock market. Beaten down because of the large percentage of business in variable annuity and guaranteed products, which they had not hedged. Makes them completely exposed to the markets because when the market goes down they have to make provisions against the eventuality they may have to make good on these. Also have the highest potential of life insurance companies as markets recover.

HOLD

(Market Call Minute.) Prefers Power Financial (PWF-T) as the yield is much higher.

BUY

Hit pretty hard by increasing liabilities on the mark to market on future obligations. Punished too much given its fundamental business.

BUY

(Market Call Minute.) Situation is not nearly as dire as the market would have you believe.

WAIT

Very scary but has huge upside. Doesn't think it will go under though they could still have a lot of problems ahead. Prefers not buying at this time of year because of the annual flow of stock price increases/decreases. Expects a lot of tax loss selling towards the end of the year. It could be a higher price but a better bet because of better stabilization.

BUY

Sold a bunch of securities that depended on the stock market for their value. Hadn't reckoned on the big drop in the market and hadn't hedged these. Thinks it is probably worth $20 a share and eventually people will recognize their ability to make money going forward.

DON'T BUY

11.3% yield but doesn't think the yields in the lifecos are as safe as banks. Lifecos dropped partly because of AIG group (AIG-N) and are being tarred with the same brush. Also very much more involved with equity markets in their internal portfolios and their products

DON'T BUY

Dividend risk is there but the big concern lies with variable annuities and segregated funds. At the end of 2008, within the segregated funds portion, believes there was a shortfall between guaranteed values of the segregated funds vs. the portfolio value of about $27 billion. Gap is probably much wider now. However, guarantees are 7 to 30 years away, not 1 or 2 years. Stock could drop further because of investors’ fears.

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Manulife Financial (MFC.TO)