Sun Life Financial Inc (SLF.TO) Buy, Sell or…

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Sun Life Financial Inc (SLF.TO)

112.09

+0.80 (0.72%)

as of Sep 4, 2026, 8:00:00 pm Market Open.

719 watching

Investor Insights

Sep 6, 2026, 12:00 am

This summary was created by AI, based on 9 opinions in the last 12 months.

Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) has garnered mixed reviews from experts, reflecting a blend of cautious optimism and concerns about its business model transformation. Originally focused on Canadian lifecos, the company has shifted towards mutual fund management, attracting criticism for taking on increased market beta. While some analysts acknowledge positive aspects, such as the potential benefits from rising interest rates and a robust money management division, others express concerns regarding recent challenges in asset management and the entry into private credit markets. Fundamentally, SLF trades at a comparatively lower P/E ratio than Canadian banks, but experts note that the growth rate remains modest. Overall, while the stock has rallied recently, many experts advocate for a cautious approach towards new investments, balancing potential growth against broader economic risks.

Consensus

Cautious

Valuation

Fair Value

Similar

MFC

DON'T BUY

Canadian life insurance companies have had difficulty coming out of the recession because of the market’s sensitivity to equities and fixed incomes. Prefer banks over insurance companies, which have demonstrated their earnings are more sustainable and less volatile. ROEs are much higher.

BUY

Feels the 5% dividend is sustainable. Have a decent but not a great franchise. Stock has been weak with long-term bond yields being compressed. Poised to do quite well when there is some normalcy in long-term interest rates.

DON'T BUY

Estimates on earnings per share have it as sub growth relative to TSX earnings. Too many variables, such as the bond market and its impact on earnings.

COMMENT

Cdn life companies have been disappointing. Prior to 2008 they were viewed as much less risky than the banks. The opposite ensued. They had another messy quarter. Life insurance accounting is very complicated. Good company and will continue to grow. Will take some to recover its ROE to the levels pre-2007. Decent yield.

BUY

Insurance companies make a lot of money by reinvesting proceeds of their premiums until they have to pay them out. When interest rates are low they make less. Expects we will go into a period of higher interest rates, which gives insurance companies the opportunity to reinvest at a higher rate of return. If you are a dividend investor in for the long term, you should own some of both Sun Life and Manufacturers (MFC-T).

COMMENT

Up 25% over the last year, which is pretty good for a stock. Has a lot more upside but he would be more interested in a stock like ManuLife (MFC-T) because there is more upside potential.

HOLD

Environment for life companies is improving, particularly when he expects interest rates to go up. Pullback in equities has also been positive for them. Could see earnings rebound again in the $2 range in the next couple of years. Yield of almost 5%.

PAST TOP PICK

(Top Pick Jan 24/11, Up 0.30%) Didn’t have to cut it’s dividend or raise equity - took advantage of financial collapse. Will be growing dividends over the next few years.

WEAK BUY

Dividend is safe. Doesn’t expect it to go up much in the near future. He owns MFC

WEAK BUY

Sunlife has about 7% exposure to Asia. But it is quite oversold. You might see a bounce in the stock. Compared to banks, he doesn’t see a lot of growth from the banks. Insurance companies are more likely to grow. It ranks average in his models.

DON'T BUY

The problem is that they need to hit at least 12-13% return on equity to get back into their glory days of growth. The regulatory overhang needs to be resolved.

BUY

Insurance companies are selling at a significant discount to banks. Potential capital gain will potentially be more on the insurance side. If interest rates rise, this will be a good market for them. Have been addressing their US operational difficulties. MFS, their US holding is doing extremely well. Canadian business is holding up quite well. 4.5% yield.

DON'T BUY

Prefers Manulife (MFC-T) and Great West (GWO-T). Great West is the more conservative and Manulife has better growth prospect, particularly in Asia. Would prefer a mix of these 2 over Sun.

TOP PICK

Ran their business in a more prudent fashion and never had to issue more shares or dividends. Also expanded their presence in Asia during the financial crisis. Named Best Asset Manager of the Year in India. Chinese joint venture has become 4th largest in China. Yield of 4.7% with earnings of about $3 a share. Huge upside potential.

HOLD

Trading just over book value, which is cheaper than the sector. Have a slower growth profile than others. There is a little bit of upside on the stock. He isn’t buying it. Prefers Power Corp.

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Sun Life Financial Inc (SLF.TO)