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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: I am a retired, conservative dividend income investor, with a well diversified portfolio of stocks, ETFs and mutual funds (AD, AQN, ALA, BCE, BNS, CGX, CPG, PBH, RY, SLF, WCP, WEF, WSP, XIT, ZLB, RBC Cdn Eqty Inc, Sentry Cdn Inc, Sentry REIT, Insured Annuities, Fisgard Capital), as well as a company pension and CPP.

Question # 1: BCE is 4.0% of my TOTAL portfolio, but 6.1% of just my EQUITY portfolio. When you discuss stock weightings, is it of the total portfolio or only the equity portfolio? What general guidelines do you recommend? I use roughly 2-4% per stock, and 4-10% for either ETFs or Mutual Funds.

Question # 2: My asset mix is 65% equities and 35% fixed income. Within equities only, my mix is 25% finance, 18% utilities, 17% consumer, 4% health, 14% industrial, 9% info tech, 10% energy and 4% materials.

I am looking for a very conservative, blue-chip, dividend-paying stock (> 3% dividend) to add and I'm not sure which sector to top up. Please point me to the right sector (or two) with 3-5 stocks to consider.

Thanks, Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on November 13, 2015
Q: ho folks:

in feb 2011 i purchased this at $30.30 (in rrsp)

-- the income rec'd is very close to the drop in capital value

-- ie, i have rec'd about 2k in income and the shares are down about 2k - so i am about breakeven (ish)

question: understanding the oil/alta problems; am i better to sell and buy say a SIA/EXE or ZRE/XRE or ??, OR is D.UN a blue chip that is suffering unduly?

sell, or hold and wait for eventual recovery?

this is my only real estate holding

thanks
Read Answer Asked by Robert on November 13, 2015
Q: Hey Peter & Team,

I took a look at the recent reporting as of Nov 5. From what I can tell, poor crop expectations, resource prices and related uncertainty,regional economic uncertainty surrounding oil prices, which primarily impacted new equipment demand in the Alberta construction market, the increased Canadian dollar cost of new equipment due to appreciation in the US dollar are all creating a significant head winds for CVL.

I am in at $24.20 (4% position)

From what i can see my options are to cut the loses and put this capital to work elsewhere or, hang tough and wait it out.

my questions...

Would you advise I move or hang tough?

ps... dividend is very good... do you think it is safe?

Thanks for all you do

Gord
Read Answer Asked by Gord on November 13, 2015
Q: I currently own CU, EMA, ENB and FTS. Building an income portfolio to start paying in 7 years ( with some growth ) do you think there are any other utilites you would also recommend holding in addition? Also if you are not a fan of any of my holdings let me know. ( I have many non utility holdings )

Many Thanks

Paul
Read Answer Asked by paul on November 13, 2015
Q: In March of this year you indicated the current pay-out ratio for RNW was 61% based on cash flow. Could you please provide the pay-out ratio based on latest results and whether you are still comfortable with this stock overall?
Read Answer Asked by Gary on November 12, 2015
Q: dr reported this morning and the stock is getting hit hard, what do you think of their results.
Read Answer Asked by don on November 12, 2015
Q: DR had a less than stellar report today, and the stock price has taken a big hit. Would you consider it a "buy" at the current price, with dividend income being the main purpose? Do you consider the dividend reasonably safe, or not so much so? Is this report possibly indicative of things to come?

Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by grant on November 12, 2015
Q: DR released their results today with income from continuing operations down 11.1 percent compared to a year ago. Was this expected with the sale of the Dakota Plains Surgical Center? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on November 12, 2015
Q: Appreciate your comments on earnings. I wonder if Veritas would like to comment
Read Answer Asked by richard on November 12, 2015
Q: Whats is your thought on this reit they increase dividend 3.3% this quarter.

thanks
Read Answer Asked by samuel on November 12, 2015
Q: I hold BEP, BIP, TRP at roughly the same 1.5% weighting of my total portfolio in each stock. Utilities (ex telecom), oil and gas and infrastructure (mainly pipelines) make up approx 13% of total portfolio. with TRP now yielding 5% or close to it and the others over 5%, which would you prefer for an additional 1.5% weighting and a long term hold within an RRSP? I'm looking for avg annual 5%-6% total return and relatively low risk. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Richard on November 12, 2015
Q: Dear 5i,
Would you trim/remove any of these holdings from my “pipelines” sector?
ENB 2.0% weighting (down 9%)
PPL 1.5% weighting (down 21%)
TRP 1.5% weighting (down 11%)
VSN 1.5% weighting (down 28%)
The yield on some of these names is quite something. Will we all look back in 3 years and wish we mortgaged the house to buy them? Or is it “different this time”..? 
Thanks for a great “go to” for professional advice.
Read Answer Asked by Carlo on November 12, 2015
Q: Hi Peter,

Just wondering which company would be a better choice for a retired person. From your answers on previous questions both have relatively safe dividends and are around the same cost per share ($25.00).

Which would you think is a safer choice?

Thank you,
Charlie
Read Answer Asked by CHARLES LA on November 12, 2015
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