
TSE:MFC
This summary was created by AI, based on 27 opinions in the last 12 months.
Manulife Financial (MFC) has received mixed reviews from various experts, highlighting both its strengths and concerns. Many praise the company for its solid performance in Asia and wealth management, coupled with a healthy dividend yield, making it an attractive income stock. However, some analysts express caution due to overvaluation, suggesting that MFC may be overbought, trading at over 2x book value with slow earnings growth of around 8-9%. While the stock is seen as a reasonable long-term holding, there are calls for potential buying opportunities during market pullbacks. The general sentiment reflects a wait-and-see approach given the mixed indicators and the overall health of the financial sector.
MFC vs. SLF When he values lifecos, it's on price to book, dividend yield, or price to earnings, rather than price to cash flows. Sun Life trades at a premium. His preferred lifeco is Manulife, because of a discounted valuation plus a better business overall because of its Asian business. Wealth management is also better, and getting a handle on legacy businesses.
MFC vs. SLF They're both good and relatively safe. They both have asset management businesses. Earnings growth will be 7-11% in 2020, which is far higher than the 1-3% for the banks. Also, they trade at single-digit multiples, cheap. According to book value, SLF is far more expensive, so he prefers MFC. MFC has more upside than SLF, but you're splitting hairs with these two.