Yes, Canadian banks are trading at valuation multiples unseen in years. However, comparing these multiples to their historical valuations may not make all that much sense. The banking industry has changed drastically over the years. Decades ago, banks were mostly just mortgage lenders. They would take in deposits from savers, keep a very small fraction […]
Economists define a “technical recession” as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. After shrinking by 1.0% in the final quarter of 2025, the economy dipped an additional 0.1% in the first quarter of 2026. This latest contraction is minor, and it is a preliminary figure that will likely be revised upward or downward in […]
Alphabet (formerly known as Google) announced its plans Monday evening to raise cash by selling $80 billion in stock. We were surprised by the news, especially for a company that generates $165 billion in cash flow each year. Furthermore, they’ve only tapped the equity market twice before — once when it went public in 2004 […]
On October 19, 2026, Alberta will have a referendum about whether it should have a referendum to separate from Canada. The exact wording on the ballot for one of the ten questions will read: Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian […]
With the market hitting record highs daily, finding compelling new opportunities at attractive entry points has become increasingly challenging. Brookfield Infrastructure (“BIPC”), which hit almost $70 as recently as March, has pulled back just about 25% the last several weeks to $53.34 today. (Disclosure: Clients, Jeff Pollock, and Sunni Schneider have a financial interest in […]
You’ve likely heard the old Wall Street adage that suggests you should “sell in May and go away”. The strategy sounds simple enough because it asks an investor to exit the stock market in early May and not return until the end of October to avoid a perceived summer slump. At Schneider & Pollock Wealth […]
Several years ago, a friend reached out about a distressing personal matter involving her mother’s retirement savings. Her mother, a client at one of Canada’s “Big Six” banks, had her savings spread across four different mutual funds, and two of those four funds became suddenly frozen. (Note: Mutual funds are pooled vehicles and their underlying […]
Even after the Strait of Hormuz eventually reopens and Iranian tensions ease, it’s doubtful that the West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) oil price will decline to its pre-strike level of $65. Instead, we expect today’s $98 price to settle in the $80–90 per barrel range. There are several reasons why we expect a higher floor for […]
The average price of gas at the pump for U.S. consumers is up 30% since the year began. Most of that occurred recently, following the strikes against Iran. If you follow the prediction markets, it doesn’t look very likely that the Republicans will win the House or even the Senate this fall. Current odds suggest […]
The RSP contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year is Monday, March 2, 2026. Contributions made by this date can be deducted from your 2025 taxable income. The maximum contribution limit is 18% of earned income, up to $32,490. Depending on your personal situation, it doesn’t always make sense to contribute. Contributing to an RSP […]
The investments you don’t own are often just as important as those you do. After years of strong performance, software stocks have had their largest non-recessionary drawdown in almost three decades. One exchange-traded fund (called the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF), which is a basket of software stocks, is down nearly 25% so far this […]
Last week, Donald Trump announced he would nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next Federal Reserve Chair, a move that surprised plenty (including us, since we thought Rick Rieder would be selected). The market did not take the announcement well. Many attributed the selloff to Warsh’s criticism of easy-money policies and the large expansion of […]
While leadership changes at the Fed can spark uncertainty, the S&P 500 historically rallies whenever a new U.S. Federal Reserve Chair is appointed. In fact, going back to 1970, the S&P 500 has gained 12.7% in the twelve months that follow. This data is particularly timely, as Jerome Powell’s term ends on May 15, 2026. […]
In the world of behavioral finance, there is a well-documented phenomenon known as loss aversion. Nobel Prize-winning psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky found that the pain of a loss is psychologically twice as powerful as the joy of an equivalent gain. Statistically, most investors require at least a 2-to-1 gain to offset the emotional […]
This time last year, California was engulfed in devastating wildfires. Thousands of acres of property were destroyed, and it didn’t take long for fingers to point at Edison International (“EIX”). Consequently, the stock plummeted over 30% over a matter of days, wiping out almost $10 billion in the stock’s market value. The investigation into whether […]
By: Sunni Schneider Nuge Schneider would have turned 87 years old today. While he never knew this firm would be created, I am certain he would be proud to know that I am a founding force behind it. I have many fond stories about my dad, but there is one in particular I wanted to […]
Rogers v. Rogers investigates the power struggle that tore apart one of Canada’s wealthiest telecommunications families. Journalist Alexandra Posadzki details the 2021 boardroom battle between Edward Rogers and his family over the company’s leadership. It serves as a compelling look at how family drama and unique corporate governance can trigger a public crisis. The book […]
While both the S&P 500 and S&P/TSX Composite Index are flat so far this month, December is historically a great month for stocks. In fact, over the last hundred years, the only decade to post a negative median return during December was in the 1930s. All decades since — from the 1940s until the 2020s […]
When our clients first became shareholders of South Bow (SOBO) on September 25, 2024, it wasn’t by choice. The new company was a spinoff from TC Energy. To be frank, we weren’t expecting much. (Disclosure: Clients, Jeff Pollock, and Sunni Schneider hold a financial interest in South Bow as shareholders but no compensation was offered to […]
Over the past few months, we’ve met with many prospective clients who often share similar questions. We’ve collected the most common ones to provide a clear view of how we operate. When did you start the company? We were first registered on February 1, 2022. Currently, we are registered to do business in Ontario, Alberta, […]
