Q: I need help to clean up and high grade my energy stocks. I have the following in the energy sector: ENB, IPL, PPL, SCL, SGY, TOU and WCP (all were acquired between 2011 and 2014), and I would like to reduce the number of positions. I have not added to the energy sector since Q3 2014.

Energy makes up 8% of my entire portfolio (DCPP, mutual funds, and a stock portfolio managed by me – the 7 stocks referred to above). I have been very patient, but my patience is running out with some of these stocks. Some days I feel like selling the losers and investing in another sector, other days I feel like averaging down on some of the losers (it’s been 4 years since I added to the sector).

I am up 50% on PPL, so plan to keep it. Breakeven on IPL and ENB. Down 33% on WCP, and down >50% on SCL, SGY and TOU. Not including dividends.

I am considering adding VET as it seems to be better quality (recommended by 5i and others), but I don’t want to have too much overlap with the other stocks, nor do I want to increase the number of stocks in my portfolio.

Assuming that I keep the same overall energy weighting, how would you high grade this portfolio. I am open to other energy companies, the only criteria is that it pays a dividend.

Thanks,

Paul

Q: SGY has recently entered into a purchase agreement/merger with a private company MBOG. What are your thoughts about the acquisition? Does this move the needle on SGY?

Q: I have been holding WCP (-35%) (4% of Corp Port. and 2% of total holdings) and SGY (-40%) (6% of Corp Port. and 3% of total holdings) since 2015.
These are in an unregistered corporate account so a capital loss can be carried forward. I am going to either sell both holdings outright and purchase VET.
Or trim each of WCP and SGY by half and use the proceeds to purchase a smaller position in VET and end up with all three holdings.
The negatives I see with the first option would be increased concentration risk (2 holdings for 1) and I would expect that WCP and SGY would outperform VET if the price of oil continues to increase long term. Your thoughts please?