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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi,
I have many of my stocks enlisted in DRIP. I am a long term investor and don't need to draw on any of the dividends right now and have a well diversified portfolio. What types of stocks would be ideal or better to enlist as DRIP? Growth stocks don't really pay dividends so we can probably ignore those. Comparing stocks such as AQN, GSY, SIS, ECI, SGY, etc..how would you rank them for DRIP or would they all be fine?? I have many stocks that pay decent dividends but I'm trying not to continue to drip in losing stocks where I can invest those dividends elsewhere.

Thanks, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on December 22, 2017
Q: As I understand it, the purchase of WGL Holdings will be paid for with the US$4.95 billion bridge loan provided by the banks with the balance being assumed debt. The intention is to replace the bridge loan with the proceeds from the subscription receipts, the private placement to OMERS and additional debt, preferred shares and hybrid securities. One of the major concerns investors seem to have about ALA is a fear that it might run into the same issues as Kinder Morgan and its purchase of NGPL. In that case the stock price plummeted from $45 to $15 when it had to cut the dividend in the face of Moody's threat to cut their rating. In your assessment is ALA in a similar precarious position or does it have it's financing in place? I have a full position in ALA and I am trying to reasonably assess the risks based on what we know (speculative risks are what they are).
Appreciate your thoughts as always.
Mike
Read Answer Asked by michael on December 21, 2017
Q: Merry Christmas to you folks
I have held Onex for many years and done well by it. I could add to it to bring it up to full position in a well diversified low risk portfolio. Just wondering about timing. I hear BNN guests talk about good times and bad times in the cycle to buy private equity type companies like Onex and KKR. Just wondering if this is a good time or better to wait for setback in market.

Thanks Stuart
Read Answer Asked by Stuart on December 21, 2017
Q: Hi 5i,

I'm a younger guy (mid 30s) who's fortunate enough to have saved hard and basically paid off my primary residence. I'm now looking to redeploy that equity through a credit line, which comes at a cost of prime + 0.5%. Our TFSAs are maxed (aligned with model BE/growth portfolios) and RRSP contributions are healthy, so I'm comfortable with our total equity exposure, but I would like a low-risk income-oriented holding in a new non-registered account that yields enough after tax to offset the cost of capital on the credit segment. Is there anything that comes to mind? Maybe a series of Prefs (neutralizes rate risk assiciated with this strategy) with a few high-yielding equities to bump up the overall yield?

Thanks for your help!
Read Answer Asked by Michael on December 21, 2017
Q: Hi Peter and team,
Recent PR from IPL regarding the 3.5 B project is confirmed, Market doesn't like it with SP down 7% in two days, at least for short term reaction. interesting, PPL's December Corp Update Ppt, showing " Pembina is proposing development of a world-scale, integrated PDH/PP facility in Alberta's Industrial Heartland " Here is the question, :
Is the same project (PP/PDH facility) or different ones ?
If the same one then IPL decided to go ahead, would PPL take it off from its to do list ?
As PPL's 2018 Budget doesn't show any major spending on PDH/PP project and still showing in progressing... no final decisions... .
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by LEI on December 20, 2017
Q: This is a follow up to a recently answered a question about the p/e on CSU but pertains to other companies as well.

When calculating this valuation metric, is the share price in Canadian Dollars and the earnings in US dollars? Or is there an adjustment made to have the same currency in both numerator and denominator? If the currency is not adjusted then the p/e would be artificially inflated by 30% or so.
Read Answer Asked by Joel on December 20, 2017
Q: I am looking to move some cash after a year end portfolio clean up. I am considering 25% in each of VSC and VSB, 25% in PMIF, 25% in XHY. Would you recommend different ETFs and/or % allocations?

Thanks for you dedication
Merry Christmas to all.
Read Answer Asked by Warren on December 20, 2017
Q: I have a portfolio modeled after your balanced portfolio with a few additions/ substitutions from the growth portfolio. My wife holds BIP.UN in a taxable account where it may be suitable to take profits this year rather than in the future. Would you sell and replace with either AVO or NFI at the current time? I guess I am asking if you expect more growth from AVO/NFI than BIP going forward. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Paul on December 20, 2017
Q: Just a comment and opinion, share if you like. I work for a smaller competitor to the above tickers, churn is more than concerning in the industry, in fact if you stopped actively selling you'd likely have no book of business left inside of 5 years. The real value is in the sales force and the companies ability to continue to outsell churn and because of this just buying the book at the multiples the industry has paid in the past makes little sense to me.
Read Answer Asked by Craig on December 19, 2017
Q: Good Evening
Can you please comment on the reasons for the 7.5% drop for IPL. during the last two days?
As a general rule, if yields approach the 7-8% range there is usually some concern with companies not being able to sustain their dividend pay outs.
I will appreciate your comments with respect to IPL's prospects going forward.
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Terry on December 19, 2017