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Financial results for 2008 and dividends - Mar 11 2009 6:46PM
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 6:24 PM


Readers are referred to the sections entitled "Forward-looking
Statements" and "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this release.

MONTREAL, March 11 /CNW Telbec/ - Power Corporation of Canada reported today operating earnings of $1,271 million or $2.70 per participating share for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared with $1,458 million or $3.12 per share in 2007.

Other items, not included in operating earnings, were a net charge of $403 million or $0.89 per share in 2008, compared with $5 million or $0.01 per share in 2007. Other items in the period in 2008 include the Corporation's share of other items recorded by Power Financial, as well as other items recorded by the Corporation and by Power Technology Investment Corporation, a subsidiary.

As a result, net earnings were $868 million or $1.81 per share in 2008, compared with $1,463 million or $3.13 per share in 2007.

FOURTH-QUARTER RESULTS
----------------------

The Corporation's operating earnings for the three-month period ended December 31, 2008 were $252 million or $0.53 per share, compared with $309 million or $0.66 per share in the same period in 2007.

Other items in the fourth quarter of 2008 were a net charge $787 million or $1.73 per share, compared with $41 million or $0.09 per share in the same period in 2007.

As a result, the net loss for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $535 million or $1.20 per share, compared with net earnings of $350 million or $0.75 per share for the same period in 2007.

RESULTS OF POWER FINANCIAL CORPORATION
--------------------------------------

Power Financial Corporation's operating earnings for the year ended December 31, 2008 were $1,974 million or $2.69 per share, compared with $2,082 million or $2.84 per share in 2007.

Other items, not included in operating earnings, were a net charge of $637 million or $0.90 per share in 2008, compared with a net charge of $38 million or $0.05 in 2007. Other items in 2008 consisted of Power Financial's share of non-recurring items recorded by Lifeco, IGM and Pargesa. The main components of other items in 2008 were the write-down of intangibles assets and goodwill relating to the acquisition of Putnam in 2007 ($983 million), the gain from the sale of health business at Great-West Life & Annuity ($472 milion), and the write-down of Pargesa's investments in Lafarge and Pernod Ricard ($328 million for 2008).

As a result, net earnings were $1,337 million or $1.79 per share in 2008, compared with $2,044 million or $2.79 per share in 2007.

Power Financial Corporation's operating earnings for the three-month period ended December 31, 2008 were $434 million or $0.59 per share, compared with $500 million or $0.68 per share in the same period in 2007.

Other items in the fourth quarter of 2008 were a charge of $1,207 million or $1.71 per share, compared with $32 million in the same period in 2007.

As a result, the net loss for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $773 million or $1.12 per share, compared with net earnings of $532 million or $0.73 per share for the same period in 2007.

DIVIDENDS ON PREFERRED SHARES
-----------------------------
The Board of Directors today declared quarterly dividends on the
Corporation's preferred shares, as follows:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of shares   Record Date      Payment Date     Amount
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986 Series      March 25, 2009   April 15, 2009   To be determined in
                                                   accordance with the
                                                   articles of the
                                                   Corporation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series A         March 25, 2009   April 15, 2009   35 cents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series B         March 25, 2009   April 15, 2009   33.4375 cents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series C         March 25, 2009   April 15, 2009   36.25 cents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Series D         March 25, 2009   April 15, 2009   31.25 cents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIVIDENDS ON PARTICIPATING SHARES
---------------------------------

The Board of Directors also declared a quarterly dividend of 29 cents on the Participating Preferred and Subordinate Voting Shares of the Corporation, payable March 31, 2009 to shareholders of record March 23, 2009.

For purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial legislation, all of the above dividends of the Corporation's preferred and subordinate voting shares are eligible dividends.

Forward-looking Statements
--------------------------

Certain statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and reflect the Corporation's and its subsidiaries' current expectations. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of assisting the reader in understanding the Corporation's financial position and results of operations as at and for the periods ended on certain dates and to present information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, strategies and outlook of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, as well as, the outlook for North American and international economies, for the current fiscal year and subsequent periods. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "estimates", "intends", "seeks", "targets", "projects", "forecasts" or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "may", "will", "should", "would" and "could".

This information is based upon certain material factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection as reflected in the forward-looking statements, including the perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances.

By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, the assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. A variety of material factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation's and its subsidiaries' control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, and their businesses, and could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations of estimated or anticipated events or results. These factors include, but are not limited to: the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors in North America and internationally, interest and foreign exchange rates, global equity and capital markets, management of market liquidity and funding risks, changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates) the effect of applying future accounting changes (including adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards), business competition, operational and reputational risks, technological change, changes in government regulation and legislation, changes in tax laws, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, catastrophic events, the Corporation's and its subsidiaries' ability to complete strategic transactions, integrate acquisitions and implement other growth strategies, and the Corporation's and its subsidiaries' success in anticipating and managing the foregoing factors.

The reader is cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Corporation's and its subsidiaries' forward-looking statements. The reader is also cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Other than as specifically required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise.

Additional information about the risks and uncertainties of the Corporation's business is provided in its disclosure materials, including its most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, available at www.sedar.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In analysing the financial results of the Corporation and consistent with the presentation in previous years, net earnings are subdivided into the following components:

- operating earnings; and
- other items, which include the after-tax impact of any item that
  management considers to be of a non recurring nature or that could make
  the period-over-period comparison of results from operations less
  meaningful, and also include the Corporation's share of any such item
  presented in a comparable item manner by its subsidiaries.

Management has used these financial measures for many years in its presentation and analysis of the financial performance of Power Corporation, and believes that they provide additional meaningful information to readers in their analysis of the results of the Corporation.

Following the announcement in 2007 of GWL&A's sale of its health care business, which closed on April 1, 2008, the results from Lifeco's U.S. health care business are presented in the consolidated financial statements as "discontinued operations", in accordance with GAAP. Power Corporation's share of these results is included in operating earnings, while the Corporation's share of the gain realized on the sale is included in Other items.

Operating earnings and operating earnings per share are non-GAAP financial measures that do not have a standard meaning and may not be comparable to similar measures used by other entities.

Attachments: Financial Information

                     POWER CORPORATION OF CANADA
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
As at December 31
(in millions of dollars)                                  2008      2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents                                5,323     6,320
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investments
  Shares                                                 6,487     8,426
  Bonds                                                 66,554    65,069
  Mortgages and other loans                             18,034    16,423
  Loans to policyholders                                 7,622     6,317
  Real estate                                            3,190     2,549
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       101,887    98,784
Funds held by ceding insurers                           11,447     1,512
Investments at equity                                    2,820     3,527
Assets of operations held for sale                           -       697
Intangible assets                                        4,607     5,072
Goodwill                                                 8,712     9,343
Future income taxes                                      1,796       632
Other assets                                             7,079     7,064
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       143,671   132,951
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liabilities
Policy liabilities
  Actuarial liabilities                                 97,895    87,487
  Other                                                  4,732     4,385
Deposits and certificates                                  959       857
Funds held under reinsurance contracts                     192       164
Liabilities of operations held for sale                      -       428
Debentures and other borrowings                          5,745     6,875
Preferred shares of subsidiaries                         1,569     1,603
Capital trust securities and debentures                    658       639
Future income taxes                                        808       841
Other liabilities                                        7,376     6,854
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       119,934   110,133
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-controlling interests                               13,980    12,781
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholders' Equity
Stated capital
  Non-participating shares                                 791       794
  Participating shares                                     509       475
Contributed surplus                                        103        78
Retained earnings                                        8,612     8,304
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)             (258)      386
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         9,757    10,037
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       143,671   132,951
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For additional information, refer to the 2008 Audited Consolidated
Financial Statements.

                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
                                       Three months
                                          ended           For the years
                                       December 31           ended
                                       (unaudited)         December 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(in millions of dollars,
 except per share amounts)            2008      2007      2008      2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
Premium income                       4,782     5,764    30,007    18,753
Net investment income
  Regular net investment income      1,481     1,347     6,275     5,985
  Change in fair value on
   held-for-trading assets            (368)      821    (5,161)   (1,098)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     1,113     2,168     1,114     4,887
Fee and media income                 1,366     1,633     5,978     5,766
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     7,261     9,565    37,099    29,406
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses
Policyholder benefits,
 dividends and experience
 refunds, and change in
 actuarial liabilities               4,815     6,840    26,774    19,122
Commissions                            526       588     2,172     2,236
Operating expenses                   1,057     1,032     4,147     3,740
Financing charges                       76       122       445       417
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     6,474     8,582    33,538    25,515
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       787       983     3,561     3,891
Share of earnings of
 investments at equity                  (2)       13       169       126
Other income (charges), net         (2,401)       38    (2,383)       49
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from continuing
 operations before income
 taxes and non-controlling
 interests                          (1,616)    1,034     1,347     4,066
Income taxes                          (690)      254        38       972
Non-controlling interests             (391)      450       775     1,729
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from continuing
 operations                           (535)      330       534     1,365
Earnings from discontinued
 operations                              -        20       334        98
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net earnings                          (535)      350       868     1,463
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings per participating share
  - Basic                            (1.20)     0.75      1.81      3.13
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  - Diluted                          (1.19)     0.74      1.80      3.10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        SEGMENTED INFORMATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information on Profit Measure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three months ended
 December 31, 2008
 (in millions of dollars)                        Par-
 (unaudited)              Lifeco       IGM   jointco     Other     Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
Premium income             4,782         -         -         -     4,782
Net investment income
  Regular net investment
   income                  1,423        36         -        22     1,481
  Change in fair value
   on held-for-trading
   assets                   (368)        -         -         -      (368)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           1,055        36         -        22     1,113
Fee and media income         743       549         -        74     1,366
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           6,580       585         -        96     7,261
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses
Policyholder benefits,
 dividends and
 experience refunds,
 and change in
 actuarial liabilities     4,815         -         -         -     4,815
Commissions                  360       206         -       (40)      526
Operating expenses           746       163         -       148     1,057
Financing charges             37        25         -        14        76
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           5,958       394         -       122     6,474
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             622       191         -       (26)      787
Share of earnings of
 investments at equity         -         -         2        (4)       (2)
Other income (charges),
 net                      (2,248)        -      (376)      223    (2,401)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from
 continuing
 operations
 before income
 taxes and
 non-controlling
 interests                (1,626)      191      (374)      193    (1,616)
Income taxes                (744)       51         -         3      (690)
Non-controlling
 interests                  (459)      110      (126)       84      (391)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated
 earnings from
 continuing
 operations                 (423)       30      (248)      106      (535)
Contribution to
 consolidated
 earnings from
 discontinued
 operations                    -         -         -         -         -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated
 net earnings               (423)       30      (248)      106      (535)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information on Profit Measure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three months ended
 December 31, 2007
 (in millions of dollars)                        Par-
 (unaudited)              Lifeco       IGM   jointco     Other     Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
Premium income             5,764         -         -         -     5,764
Net investment income
  Regular net
   investment
   income                  1,304        42         -         1     1,347
  Change in fair value
   on held-for-trading
   assets                    821         -         -         -       821
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           2,125        42         -         1     2,168
Fee and media income         861       679         -        93     1,633
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           8,750       721         -        94     9,565
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses
Policyholder benefits,
 dividends and
 experience refunds,
 and change in
 actuarial liabilities     6,840         -         -         -     6,840
Commissions                  374       241         -       (27)      588
Operating expenses           712       157         -       163     1,032
Financing charges             84        22         -        16       122
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           8,010       420         -       152     8,582
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             740       301         -       (58)      983
Share of earnings of
 investments at equity         -         -        17        (4)       13
Other income (charges),
 net                           -         -        23        15        38
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from
 continuing operations
 before income taxes
 and non-controlling
 interests                   740       301        40       (47)    1,034
Income taxes                 198        67         -       (11)      254
Non-controlling interests    312       147        14       (23)      450
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated earnings
 from continuing
 operations                  230        87        26       (13)      330
Contribution to
 consolidated earnings
 from discontinued
 operations                   20         -         -         -        20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated
 net earnings                250        87        26       (13)      350
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information on Profit Measure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the year ended
December 31, 2008
(in millions of dollars)                         Par-
(unaudited)               Lifeco       IGM   jointco     Other     Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
Premium income            30,007         -         -         -    30,007
Net investment income
  Regular net investment
   income                  5,962       202         -       111     6,275
  Change in fair value
   on held-for-trading
   assets                 (5,161)        -         -         -    (5,161)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             801       202         -       111     1,114
Fee and media income       3,124     2,503         -       351     5,978
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          33,932     2,705         -       462    37,099
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses
Policyholder benefits,
 dividends and
 experience refunds,
 and change in
 actuarial liabilities    26,774         -         -         -    26,774
Commissions                1,353       906         -       (87)    2,172
Operating expenses         2,886       648         -       613     4,147
Financing charges            296        91         -        58       445
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          31,309     1,645         -       584    33,538
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           2,623     1,060         -      (122)    3,561
Share of earnings of
 investments at equity         -         -       183       (14)      169
Other income (charges),
 net                      (2,248)        -      (364)      229    (2,383)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from continuing
 operations before
 income taxes and
 non-controlling
 interests                   375     1,060      (181)       93     1,347
Income taxes                (278)      293         -        23        38
Non-controlling interests    334       494       (61)        8       775
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated earnings
 from continuing
 operations                  319       273      (120)       62       534
Contribution to
 consolidated earnings
 from discontinued
 operations                  334         -         -         -       334
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated net
 earnings                    653       273      (120)       62       868
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information on Profit Measure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the year ended
December 31, 2007
(in millions of dollars)                         Par-
(unaudited)               Lifeco       IGM   jointco     Other     Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenues
Premium income            18,753         -         -         -    18,753
Net investment income
  Regular net investment
   income                  5,565        194        -       226     5,985
  Change in fair value
   on held-for-trading
   assets                 (1,098)         -        -         -    (1,098)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           4,467        194        -       226     4,887
Fee and media income       2,703      2,701        -       362     5,766
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          25,923      2,895        -       588    29,406
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses
Policyholder benefits,
 dividends and
 experience refunds,
 and change in
 actuarial liabilities    19,122         -         -         -    19,122
Commissions                1,366       947         -       (77)    2,236
Operating expenses         2,517       623         -       600     3,740
Financing charges            269        88         -        60       417
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          23,274     1,658         -       583    25,515
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           2,649     1,237         -         5     3,891
Share of earnings of
 investments at equity         -         -       145       (19)      126
Other income (charges),
 net                           -         -        26        23        49
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings from continuing
 operations before
 income taxes and
 non-controlling
 interests                 2,649     1,237       171         9     4,066
Income taxes                 582       355         -        35       972
Non-controlling interests  1,204       556        58       (89)    1,729
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated earnings
 from continuing
 operations                  863       326       113        63     1,365
Contribution to
 consolidated
 earnings from
 discontinued
 operations                   98         -         -         -        98
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contribution to
 consolidated
 net earnings                961       326       113        63     1,463
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Source: CNW )


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