January 14, 2013

BCE is reducing its interest expense:

Bell Canada today announced that it will redeem on February 11, 2013, prior to maturity, all of its outstanding $149,641,000 principal amount of 10% Debentures, Series EA, due June 15, 2014 (“Series EA Debentures”).

The Series EA Debentures will be redeemed at a price equal to $1,113.389 per $1,000 of principal amount of debentures plus $15.890 for accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

It may be that my worst fears regarding Greece are getting closer to being realized:

A spate of violent attacks against the homes and offices of public figures has hit Greece as the economy goes into its sixth year of deep recession, apparently nurturing extremist groups on both sides of the political spectrum.

Early Monday morning, a gunman with a Kalashnikov assault rifle sprayed bullets into the Athens headquarters of Greece’s ruling, centre-right New Democracy party. At least one of the bullets went through the window of the office occasionally used by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who is implementing harsh austerity in exchange for bailout loans.

…and…:

A group of illegal immigrants was justified in escaping from a police lockup last year because of the miserable conditions in their overcrowded cell, which was filthy, ridden with disease and had no running water, a Greek court has ruled.

The court in the northwestern city of Igoumenitsa said the 15 adults – from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Morocco – had been held for up to six weeks in “wretched and highly dangerous” conditions.

There’s a story about a Saudi farmer who, we are told, should serve as an inspiration to us all:

The herd is one of hundreds owned by Almarai Co. (ALMARAI), the biggest food producer in the Persian Gulf, which processed about 235 million gallons of milk in 2012. The Riyadh-based company’s revenue has almost tripled in the past five years to 7.95 billion riyals ($2.12 billion) as demand for its products — milk, cheese, processed chicken, baked goods and juices — has surged with the nation’s population. Its shares are up 125 percent since its 2005 initial public offering.

The gain has made Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer, Almarai’s 59-year-old founder and largest individual shareholder, a billionaire. His 28.6 percent stake in the operation, plus other investments, has helped him amass a fortune of at least $2.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He has never appeared on an international wealth ranking.

“Establishing a dairy farm in the middle of the desert is not that easy,” said Alaa Ghanem, a senior equity analyst at Audi Saradar Investment Bank in a phone interview from his office in Beirut. Almarai, he said, “is an example for anyone who wants to succeed.”

What are the secrets of his success? He used Canadian business techniques! Here’s one:

The subsidy for baby milk will go from SR2 to SR12 per kilogram as part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on public caused by soaring consumer prices.

Dr. Mansour Al-Kredes, deputy chairman of the agricultural committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, proposed the government subsidize agricultural and food products in order to stabilize the market. “We should have a strategic plan in order to ensure enough food supply, by providing necessary support to farmers,” he explained. “Subsidizing consumer goods will have a positive impact on farmers and will stabilize market prices,” he pointed out.

Here’s another:

Critics warn that the high yield of Almarai and other Saudi agricultural ventures carries a hidden cost. Government energy subsidies made possible by Saudi Arabia’s oil profits provide cheap electricity for the kingdom’s industry and agriculture but contribute to soaring domestic energy consumption. Saudi agriculture also draws on the kingdom’s natural aquifers, which are fast running dry.

I hope all the young people reading this blog take this to heart and become risk-taking entrepreneurs like Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer.

It was a most interesting day for the Canadian preferred share market with a trading programme at RBC (and, possibly related, at Goldman) roiling the market. When the dust settled, PerpetualPremiums dropped 6bp, FixedResets leapt upward by 24bp and DeemedRetractibles got whacked for 55bp. Volatility was enormous and volume was extremely high.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0531 % 2,497.4
FixedFloater 4.24 % 3.55 % 29,837 18.27 1 1.1287 % 3,834.7
Floater 2.79 % 3.01 % 61,568 19.71 4 0.0531 % 2,696.5
OpRet 4.63 % 1.96 % 51,736 0.42 4 -0.1716 % 2,594.3
SplitShare 4.61 % 4.53 % 43,788 4.33 2 -0.0600 % 2,891.5
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.1716 % 2,372.2
Perpetual-Premium 5.26 % -0.06 % 73,490 0.74 30 -0.0614 % 2,342.8
Perpetual-Discount 4.87 % 4.90 % 138,753 15.58 4 -0.9003 % 2,632.9
FixedReset 4.90 % 2.77 % 213,498 3.44 78 0.2374 % 2,481.9
Deemed-Retractible 4.90 % 2.27 % 115,612 0.35 46 -0.5481 % 2,421.0
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
MFC.PR.C Deemed-Retractible -2.62 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.18
Bid-YTW : 5.03 %
MFC.PR.H FixedReset -2.50 % Not a real loss. Low for day was 26.28.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-03-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.75
Bid-YTW : 3.92 %
GWO.PR.I Deemed-Retractible -2.29 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.30
Bid-YTW : 4.94 %
NA.PR.L Deemed-Retractible -2.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-05-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.98
Bid-YTW : 4.61 %
BAM.PR.N Perpetual-Discount -2.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 23.69
Evaluated at bid price : 24.20
Bid-YTW : 4.92 %
BMO.PR.L Deemed-Retractible -2.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-05-25
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.55
Bid-YTW : 1.76 %
SLF.PR.D Deemed-Retractible -2.02 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.23
Bid-YTW : 4.93 %
BNS.PR.L Deemed-Retractible -1.96 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-04-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.49
Bid-YTW : 3.81 %
SLF.PR.B Deemed-Retractible -1.86 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.84
Bid-YTW : 4.94 %
PWF.PR.F Perpetual-Premium -1.78 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.64
Evaluated at bid price : 24.90
Bid-YTW : 5.28 %
BMO.PR.Q FixedReset -1.76 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.60
Bid-YTW : 3.46 %
POW.PR.G Perpetual-Premium -1.68 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-04-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.38
Bid-YTW : 4.81 %
SLF.PR.C Deemed-Retractible -1.58 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.34
Bid-YTW : 4.86 %
BNS.PR.M Deemed-Retractible -1.54 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-07-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.62
Bid-YTW : 3.71 %
POW.PR.D Perpetual-Premium -1.43 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.46
Evaluated at bid price : 24.86
Bid-YTW : 5.04 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset -1.40 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 23.48
Evaluated at bid price : 25.30
Bid-YTW : 3.02 %
MFC.PR.B Deemed-Retractible -1.40 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.65
Bid-YTW : 4.92 %
BMO.PR.J Deemed-Retractible -1.38 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 3.77 %
BAM.PR.M Perpetual-Discount -1.34 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.07
Evaluated at bid price : 24.37
Bid-YTW : 4.90 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset -1.21 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-10-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.02
Bid-YTW : 3.43 %
SLF.PR.A Deemed-Retractible -1.20 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.70
Bid-YTW : 4.97 %
BMO.PR.M FixedReset 1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-08-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.50
Bid-YTW : 2.86 %
BAM.PR.G FixedFloater 1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 22.81
Evaluated at bid price : 22.40
Bid-YTW : 3.55 %
FTS.PR.G FixedReset 1.15 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.08
Evaluated at bid price : 24.65
Bid-YTW : 3.70 %
RY.PR.I FixedReset 1.20 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-02-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.16
Bid-YTW : 1.42 %
SLF.PR.I FixedReset 1.37 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 2.59 %
TD.PR.K FixedReset 1.43 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-07-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.02
Bid-YTW : 0.80 %
ENB.PR.P FixedReset 1.46 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2019-03-01
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.78
Bid-YTW : 3.54 %
SLF.PR.H FixedReset 1.58 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-09-30
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.72
Bid-YTW : 3.13 %
BNS.PR.Q FixedReset 1.60 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-10-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.41
Bid-YTW : 2.58 %
CM.PR.K FixedReset 2.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-07-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.77
Bid-YTW : 0.59 %
MFC.PR.I FixedReset 2.27 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-09-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.02
Bid-YTW : 2.64 %
PWF.PR.R Perpetual-Premium 2.99 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-04-30
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.52
Bid-YTW : 3.76 %
IAG.PR.G FixedReset 3.82 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-06-30
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.21
Bid-YTW : 2.26 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BNS.PR.L Deemed-Retractible 266,018 RBC crossed 129,400 at 25.01.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-04-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.49
Bid-YTW : 3.81 %
BMO.PR.J Deemed-Retractible 259,933 TD crossed 199,000 at 25.50.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 3.77 %
POW.PR.D Perpetual-Premium 250,890 TD crossed 49,400 at 25.20. Nesbitt crossed blocks of 38,300 shares, 49,400 and 75,000, all at 24.90.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.46
Evaluated at bid price : 24.86
Bid-YTW : 5.04 %
ENB.PR.B FixedReset 202,213 RBC crossed 50,000 at 25.70; Nesbitt crossed blocks of 74,800 and 60,000 at the same price.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-06-01
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.55
Bid-YTW : 3.59 %
POW.PR.B Perpetual-Premium 201,300 Nesbitt crossed three blocks: 69,000 shares, 53,400 and 50,000, all at 25.20.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-02-13
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.21
Bid-YTW : -4.96 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 191,217 RBC crossed blocks of 169,900 and 10,000, both at 23.25.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.15
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %
PWF.PR.R Perpetual-Premium 155,023 RBC crossed 57,900 at 27.99.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-04-30
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.52
Bid-YTW : 3.76 %
BNS.PR.M Deemed-Retractible 148,993 RBC crossed 70,000 at 25.95.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-07-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.62
Bid-YTW : 3.71 %
SLF.PR.I FixedReset 141,924 RBC crossed 121,600 at 27.68.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 2.59 %
BMO.PR.M FixedReset 131,540 RBC crossed blocks of 35,800 and 27,500, both at 25.90.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2013-08-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.50
Bid-YTW : 2.86 %
PWF.PR.F Perpetual-Premium 130,021 RBC crossed 66,200 at 24.50.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 24.64
Evaluated at bid price : 24.90
Bid-YTW : 5.28 %
RY.PR.X FixedReset 124,636 RBC crossed blocks of 89,500 and 18,400, both at 27.15.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.88
Bid-YTW : 2.06 %
BNS.PR.Z FixedReset 114,478 TD crossed blocks of 25,800 and 15,000 at 24.73. RBC crossed 48,500 at 24.70.
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.73
Bid-YTW : 3.26 %
CM.PR.K FixedReset 101,831 RBC crossed 40,000 at 26.35 and 23,000 at 27.10. Is this a new record for price difference between preferred share block trades?
YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-07-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.77
Bid-YTW : 0.59 %
SLF.PR.A Deemed-Retractible 101,287 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.70
Bid-YTW : 4.97 %
There were 50 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
MFC.PR.H FixedReset Quote: 25.75 – 26.50
Spot Rate : 0.7500
Average : 0.4797

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-03-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.75
Bid-YTW : 3.92 %

FTS.PR.H FixedReset Quote: 25.50 – 26.03
Spot Rate : 0.5300
Average : 0.3314

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2043-01-14
Maturity Price : 23.66
Evaluated at bid price : 25.50
Bid-YTW : 2.88 %

VNR.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 26.02 – 26.38
Spot Rate : 0.3600
Average : 0.2270

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2017-10-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.02
Bid-YTW : 3.43 %

SLF.PR.D Deemed-Retractible Quote: 24.23 – 24.56
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2003

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.23
Bid-YTW : 4.93 %

SLF.PR.I FixedReset Quote: 26.61 – 26.99
Spot Rate : 0.3800
Average : 0.2581

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 2.59 %

PWF.PR.O Perpetual-Premium Quote: 26.47 – 26.85
Spot Rate : 0.3800
Average : 0.2694

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2014-10-31
Maturity Price : 26.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.47
Bid-YTW : 4.40 %

One Response to “January 14, 2013”

  1. […] DeemedRetractibles winning 27bp. For the last two classes, these figures represent about half of yesterday’s change, when RBC roiled the market. Volatility was high again today, with many issues rebounding about […]

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