Log In

Canadian Banks/HCG.TO: Buy High, Sell Low; What Passes as Prudent Capital Allocation and Risk Management in the...

November 19th, 2019

“I think it's -- the work that's being done in our underwriting team to accurately price for risk. There's a lot of work that's going into the evaluation of business for self...

READ MORE >

RY: The Song Remains the Same for 3Q19 – Reckless Risk Management and IFRS-9 Accounting Driven Earnings Gains

August 22nd, 2019

“And so I think each quarter, I would just continue to reiterate from the guidance I provided previously is that the baseline here is that our reserves -- Stage 1 and 2 reserves will grow in line with...

READ MORE >

Canadian Banks: Earnings Season Was a Disappointment, It Could Have and Should Have Been Much Worse; Take a Gander at...

June 6th, 2019

Heading into earnings season for the Big 6 Canadian banks, we were almost certain that a great deal of the discussion on the analyst conference calls would be centered around loan performance in...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: The IFRS-9 Accounting Shenanigans Continue

May 9th, 2019

“Yes, because of forward looking, some of the economic scenarios have moderated. So our residential, despite the growth in the portfolio, some of that provision was released” Bradley Kotush.  Home Capital Group CFO. 1Q19 Earnings Conf. Call....

READ MORE >

Where's the Bid? A New, More Troubling Era In Canadian Housing

April 10th, 2019

Over the past few weeks, we conducted a survey of more than 250 real estate agents across Canada. Click on the link below to view our presentation which outlines our research on the Canadian housing market at a high level and the critical findings from our...

READ MORE >

CM.TO: CIBC Breaks Ranks, Sort Of. The “Stage” Is Set for Increased Provisions Going Forward

February 28th, 2019

“As you know, what drives our provisioning for our performing loans really has to do with the changes that we make to scenarios and to our economic outlook. So it really depends, sort of, quarter-to-quarter how our...

READ MORE >

CM.TO/NA.TO/RY.TO: Bank EPS as Fiction – The Great “Remeasurement” Game Juiced EPS in 2018; Don’t Expect an...

January 17th, 2019

“In the case of the IFRS 9 guidance on performing, there's a lot of assumptions that go into what falls into the performing and it could be anything from your assessment of volatility to...

READ MORE >

CTC: Relying on Those Living on the Edge While Leading with Your Chin Is a Scary Proposition

December 14th, 2018

“One thing I do want to mention though that we learned for the recession as well is you have to remember the nature of our portfolio. Where we are typically a bit of a higher risk more of a near-prime portfolio, it...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: On a March to Nowhere, the Structural Flaws of the “New HCG” Have Started to Become Clear

August 14th, 2018

For several years now, we have wondered aloud what HCG’s financial profile would look like in a scenario in which the company was forced to introduce true underwriting rigor to its mortgage origination...

READ MORE >

CM.TO/RY.TO: The Big Banks Finally Acknowledge That We’ve Entered Phase 1 of Phase 1

May 24th, 2018

“So the original 10% was related to what we thought or anticipated the B-20 impact would be. So that was on that part of the business. When we take a look at the second half ,we continue to see that there will be origination...

READ MORE >

Canadian Housing: Reflexivity Cuts Both Ways, Negative Feedback Loops Have Started to Emerge

March 29th, 2018

We hope you will consider this report for your weekend reading list. Over the past few weeks we surveyed more than 300 real estate agents in Canada. The attached presentation outlines the feedback we received from those agents...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: Originate or Die, It’s That Simple, the “Devil” of Course Is in the Details

February 15th, 2018

“Against this backdrop, management and the Board are reassessing the corporate strategy and are focused on finalizing the Company’s long-term strategy during the first half of 2018 to help grow the business, create...

READ MORE >

CM.TO/RY.TO: “You Come at the King(s), You Best Not Miss”; The Credit Cycle is Here - Time to get Short

November 28th, 2017

The gravity of this statement from The Wire’s Omar Little is not lost on us. Time and time again in the two and half years that we have been following the Canadian housing market investors have suggested to...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: Credit Contraction? B-20 Impact? IFRS-9 Gambit? And the Big Question: What Business Is HCG Really in Now?

November 15th, 2017

Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss?  When Yousry Bissada steps up to the mic today to discuss the performance of HCG during the first three months of his stewardship, we’re almost certain...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: Is There a Plan to Create Sustainable Earnings as a Slowing GTA Housing Market, B-20 Guidelines, and IFRS-9...

August 3rd, 2017

Are HCG investors really better off than they were three months ago?  At that time, HCG faced a liquidity crisis that the company narrowly survived.  The stock price, which many would argue...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: There’s Declining Book Value/Share and Not Much Else, Why Pay More than Warren? Moving Price Objective to $10

June 22nd, 2017

In what can only be described as a shocking development to most participants in the Canadian financial ecosystem, HCG announced late last night that Berkshire Hathaway will provide the company with a...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: “Existence of Material Uncertainty – Future Funding Capabilities”, Reiterating $0 Price Objective

May 12th, 2017

HCG reported 1Q17 adjusted EPS of….. Just kidding.  Make no mistake the entity known as Home Capital Group and its primary lending subsidiary, Home Trust no longer exist.  As we argued a few...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: Truthless, Rudderless, and Now Possibly Valueless, Taking Price Objective to $0

April 20th, 2017

“But I can't end the call without a little ditty that someone passed on to me of how people in the 19th century dealt with shorts. And the little ditty goes something like this. He who sells what isn't his'n, must...

READ MORE >

NA.TO/Canadian Housing: “Extend and Pretend” Is Alive and Well in the Prairies; How Well Capitalized Are the...

March 22nd, 2017

“Our customers have shown tremendous courage and we’re matching that by sticking with them to the best of our best ability. We believe that working with customers to help get them to a...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: Pondering the Existential Questions Facing HCG

February 7th, 2017

It’s been an interesting start to 2017 for HCG.  The stock is down a meager (-5.0%) YTD, which belies the drastic change in investor sentiment around the company.  Several major brokerage firms have downgraded HCG shares over the past 4-6...

READ MORE >

Canadian Housing: Losses on the Ground Are Real; When Will the Banks Start Taking Provisions On Their Credit Exposure...

November 23rd, 2016

“As cooler weather starts driving up heating costs, Calgary distress centres are finding more people who once earned steady incomes are now struggling to pay their bills and seeking relief with...

READ MORE >

PAA Research's 2016 Canadian Mortgage Broker Survey: A New Era in the Canadian Housing Market

November 2nd, 2016

We recently conducted a survey of 148 mortgage brokers located across Canada. The key findings from our survey include: Home price weaknes is becoming more broad based The underlying bid for housing remains...

READ MORE >

Canadian Housing: The Wind of Change

October 4th, 2016

Will Monday, October 3, 2016 be remembered as the day that the housing market in Ontario peaked?  Maybe.  In a move that appears to have shaken the Canadian housing market to its core (or at least rattled a few branches), Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau announced a...

READ MORE >

HCG.TO: In the Biggest Housing Bull Market in the History of Canada, HCG Still Can’t Grow Their Loan Book –...

July 20th, 2016

HCG is desperate. How do we know this? Well certainly in this case actions speak louder than words.  Consider the following steps the company has taken over the past 6-12 months to shore up...

READ MORE >

Current Ideas

EXPI

SELL/SHORT

$4

HUSQ.B

SELL

$50

UFPI

SELL/SHORT

$45

TREX

SHORT

$18

PRDO

SELL/SHORT

$5

STRA

SELL/SHORT

$42

CWH

LONG

$75

OSTK

LONG

$128

CM

SELL/SHORT

$50

RY

SELL/SHORT

$50

ARC

LONG

$5.50

AYI

SHORT

$50

BIG

SHORT

$28

WWE

LONG

$65

XOXO

LONG

$37

RLGY

PAIR TRADE

$10

RDFN

PAIR TRADE

$30

BCO

LONG

$35

ING.PA

SHORT

$35

TRUP

SELL/SHORT

$10

CTC

SHORT

$101

ATGE

SHORT

$15

HCG.TO

SHORT

$0

RON.TO

SHORT

$9

ESI

SHORT

$0

BGG

PAIR - LONG BGG/SHORT TTC

25%

TTC

PAIR - LONG BGG/SHORT TTC

25%

Z

SHORT

$14.00

NA.TO

SHORT

$22

ZU

SHORT

$15

TRLA

SHORT

$20

MCRS

SHORT

$31

APOL

SHORT

$35

OPEN

SHORT

$30

KNL

PAIR - LONG KNL/SHORT MLHR

25%

CSGP

SHORT

$100

GCA

LONG

$8

IPSU

LONG

$20

MLHR

SHORT

$22

LOOP

PAIR - LONG CSGP/SHORT LOOP

40%

THQI

LONG

$35

WPO

SHORT

$275

COCO

SHORT

$0

HNI

SIG

RGR