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Sun Life Financial Inc T.SLF

Alternate Symbol(s):  SLF | T.SLF.PR.C | T.SLF.PR.E | SLFIF | T.SLF.PR.D | SUNFF | T.SLF.PR.G | T.SLF.PR.H | SLFQF | T.SLF.PR.J | T.SLF.PR.K

Sun Life Financial Inc. is an international financial services company. The Company is engaged in providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional clients. The Company’s segments include Canada, United States (U.S.), Asset Management, Asia, and Corporate. These business segments operate in the financial services industry. The Asset Management business group includes MFS Investment Management and SLC Management business units. Its business types include Wealth & Asset Management, Group-Health & Protection, and Individual-Protection. Its Wealth & Asset Management businesses focus on investment products. Its Group-Health & Protection businesses provide health and protection benefits to employers and government plan members. Its products and services include insurance, investments, financial advice, and asset management. It has operations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and others.


TSX:SLF - Post by User

Bullboard Posts
Post by scissors14on Aug 16, 2006 10:00am
352 Views
Post# 11232767

Stock of the week: Sun Life Financial

Stock of the week: Sun Life FinancialStock of the week: Sun Life Financial -------------------------------------- Sun Life has done well since it began operating as a public company in 2000. (Before it de-mutualized, the company was owned by its policy- holders). For one thing, except for a slight setback in 2002, Sun Life's earnings per share have increased steadily. Earnings per share are growing this year too. In the six months to June 30, Sun Life earned record profits of $1.005 billion , or $1.71 a share - excluding a one-time after-tax charge of $2 million. That's up by 8.9 per cent from $935 million, or $1.57 a share, in last year's first half. Even better, all five of the company's divisions delivered better earnings. Just remember that the stronger Canadian dollar worked against Sun Life in the first half. That's because of its growing international operations. Had the loonie remained at the same level as in last year's first half, the company's earnings would've risen by $46 million, or eight cents a share. On this basis, Sun Life's earnings per share rose by 14 per cent. The stronger performance also shows up in Sun Life's return on common shareholder's equity, or ROE - a critical measure in financial services. In the first half, its ROE jumped to 13.4 per cent. That's up from 12.8 per cent in last year's first half. Even better, the trend remains up. In the second quarter, ROE increased further to 13.6 per cent. ROE would have hit 14 per cent had the loonie remained stable. For all of 2006, Sun Life is expected to earn $3.55 a share. That's up by almost 10 per cent from $3.23 a share last year - excluding one- time charges of $63 million, or 11 cents a share. Thanks to its improving earnings, Sun Life has increased its dividend every year without fail. In fact, it has just raised its dividend again on the strength of its record earnings in the first half. The company now pays $1.20 a share. That's up by 9.1 per cent from $1.10 a share. The dividend now yields 2.8 per cent. As Sun Life's earnings per share increase further, we expect it to keep raising its dividend. Sun Life has also bought back its own shares each year since 2002. In the first half of 2006, it spent $398 million to buy back 8.5 million shares. The average number of shares outstanding fell below 579 million by the end of the second quarter. That was well down from a peak of 618 million shares in 2002. As the number of shares fall, earnings per share rise, all else being equal. No wonder the shares are up more than 200 per cent since going public in 2000. Buy Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX-SLF, $43.95) for long-term gains and increasing dividends.
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