Mahindra and Manulife Insurance JV Moves Ahead; Gets Approval from Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Manulife Financial Corp (MFC) reported 2Q26 results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Core earnings were $1.9B, up 12% on a CER basis, and core EPS was $1.09, up 16% y/y. Net income to shareholders was $2.1B. APE sales rose 21% and new business CSM and NBV increased 16% and 10% y/y, respectively.

TD Cowen analyst Mario Mendonca raised targets for Canadian insurers, citing strong equity markets and expected Q2/26 earnings growth. Great-West Lifeco (GWO) target to $98, Manulife (MFC) to $65, Sun Life (SLF) to $121, IA Financial (IAG) to $214. Stifel lifted copper price forecasts to $6.04/lb in 2026 and raised targets for CS, ERO, FM, FCX, HBM. National Bank Financial upgraded Tidewater Midstream (TWM) to Outperform.

Canadian stocks opened June mixed as investors weighed Middle East geopolitical risks and uncertainty around U.S.-Iran talks, with energy markets in focus. The S&P/TSX Composite fell 34 points (0.1%) to 34,735. Equinox Gold, Orla Mining, G Mining Ventures and CCL Industries dropped over 6% each. Parex Resources rose 10% to $26.52 after completing a US$500m Frontera Energy acquisition adding 37,000 boe/d and supporting 2026 guidance.

The article warns that chasing very high dividend yields can expose investors to companies with weak earnings, high debt, or unsustainable payouts. It highlights Canadian stocks Keyera (KEY) and Manulife Financial (MFC) as lower-risk alternatives. Keyera trades near $55, yields ~4%, and reported Q1 adjusted EBITDA of $203m ($232m excluding Plains deal costs) with net debt/adj. EBITDA of 2.2x. Manulife trades near $51, yields 3.5%, and in its latest quarter core earnings rose 8% YoY to $1.8b and

The article says the Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% on Apr. 29, 2026, with the next decision on Jun. 10, so TFSA investors may need a strategy beyond a single rate-cut thesis. It highlights Manulife Financial, reporting Q1 2026 core earnings of $1.8B (+8%), core EPS $1.06 (+11%), net income $1.1B (+$700M), and a 136% LICAT ratio, plus a $0.44 quarterly dividend (3.4% yield).

The article says the Bank of Canada is likely to keep interest rates on hold through year-end if inflation and growth stay steady, with some analysts expecting possible upside risk to inflation. It highlights Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) near $110 and yielding about 4%, citing turnaround progress and ROE/earnings gains. It also notes Manulife (MFC) raised its dividend 10% and benefited from higher rates and strong wealth/international results, including 18% core earnings growth in Asia in 2025 vs.