One of the most important principles of sound investment management is staying on top of what’s happening in the world and how those events affect finances. Conditions change quickly, and keeping up-to-date on developments and trends can be challenging. The team of experts producing IWB have been advising Canadian investors for over 25 years.
Edited and Published by Gordon Pape. Associate Editor: Richard Croft
With Gavin Graham, Ryan Irvine, Glenn Rogers, Shawn Allen, Adam Mayers, Paul Bamford & Michael Corcoran.
Recent Issues
iwb2912 (March 30, 2009)
Hope abounds!… Tom Slee: Preferreds a better bet than bonds… Tom Slee updates three preferreds plus SNC-Lavalin … Warren MacKenzie: Should you do it yourself?… Gordon Pape’s Updates: ArcelorMittal, Highpine, Canadian Utilities, Penn West… Your Questions: Buying gold, flow-through shares, bank ETF
iwb2911 (March 23, 2009)
Inflation creation… What Americans are asking about Canada… Glenn Rogers on bear market rallies… Glenn Rogers updates iShares China 25, ProShares Ultra Financial, ONEOK Inc., Cisco Systems… Your Questions: Bank dividends… Members’ Corner: Gold
iwb2910 (March 9, 2009)
Dissecting Duguay… Tom Slee: Lifeco earnings hammered… Tom Slee updates Industrial Alliance, Sun Life, Manulife, TD Bank, Rogers… John Lawrence Reynolds on the case for gold… Your Questions: General Electric… Members’ Corner: Reynolds book
iwb2909 (March 2, 2009)
Two views on energy trusts… Irwin Michael: Nova takeover may be just the beginning… Irwin Michael’s updates: John B. Sanfilippo, Lakeview REIT, S&K Famous Brands… Book excerpt: Bubbles, Bankers & Bailouts… Update on EnCana… Your Questions: Understanding dividends, defensive portfolio, TFSAs and mortgages… Members’ Corner: Bad to worse
Recent Updates
Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX, NYSE: BNS)
Scotiabank is the most internationally diversified of the major Canadian banks, with over 30% of its assets coming from its overseas operations, primarily what the bank describes as the three Pacific Alliance countries of Mexico, Peru, and Chile. It sold its subscale operations in Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica to bank Davivienda in the first quarter in exchange for a 20% stake in Davivienda, taking a $1.4 billion impairment charge on the sale. Scotiabank has strengths in mortgage and corporate lending and wealth management and is usually the lowest cost operator amongst the major banks.
Buy
RBC Group (TSX, NYSE: RY)
RBC is the largest bank in Canada, with 23% market share after the acquisition of HSBC’s Canadian operations in late 2024. It has strengths in retail banking, investment banking, and asset management plus the largest share of mortgages and corporate lending in Canada.
Buy
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE)
Pfizer is a leading international pharmaceutical company that can trace its history back more than 170 years. Its business units include Oncology, Inflammation & Immunology, Rare Disease, Hospital, Vaccines, and Internal Medicine. Pfizer was the first company (along with partner BioNTech) to have a Covid vaccine approved for general use. It has proven to be highly effective with minimal side effects. The company has also developed a drug to treat the virus.
Hold
Winpak Ltd. (TSX: WPK, OTC: WIPKF)
Winpak produces goods that are mainly used in the food and beverage and healthcare industries. Its modified atmosphere packaging is used to extend the shelf life of perishable products such as meat, poultry, and cheese as well as healthcare products. The majority of its sales are in North America.
Buy
Cameco Corp. (TSX: CCO, NYSE: CCJ)
Cameco is one of the world’s largest uranium producers, with mines at McArthur River and Cigar Lake in Saskatchewan and refineries in Ontario. As governments and investors have become more favourably inclined towards non-carbon emitting sources of baseload power such as nuclear in recent years, Cameco’s fortunes and its share price have revived.