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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 would like to know your opinion of Pizza Pizza, in particular the sustainability of the dividend and the experience of the management. I understand your reply may take a while and that is fine. Hope you all enjoy your sojourn in Europe.
Don
Read Answer Asked by Donald on October 05, 2013
Q: DCI, very high debt., very high payout ratio, very low ROE-can this co. sustain the dividend & will > int. rate have a negative impact on stock price & what about erosion of business as cell phones and other devices are able to conduct more financial transactions?? Is their business model protected from these other competitors??
Read Answer Asked by James on October 04, 2013
Q: EIF: Exchange Income Fund. I have held this stock for several years. Recently it has dropped sharply and precipitously for no apparent reason and no bottom in sight.
1. Have I missed a vital piece of information?
2. Would you recommend adding to my position right now?

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on October 04, 2013
Q: Hello Peter & team.
I bought DCI-T (direct payments) a while ago at $25.49 & wonder if it is worth keeping. I am retired, like dividends & some growth & have a 3 to 5 year time horizon. DCI is now less than 1% of my portfolio. Should I keep it or move on to something else ?
Thanks in anticipation, Best wishes, Paul.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 01, 2013
Q: Hi 5i Team,
There were two preferred shares recommended on BNN this afternoon, PWF.PR.S (rated P1) and BRF.PR.E, that I would like a second opinion on.
Both offer healthy yields, and sell at discounts to their call prices. I am thinking of boosting my preferred share content in my dividend-oriented portfolio. Other than interest rate risk, do you see any red flags on either of these issues?
Many thanks,
Brian
Read Answer Asked by Brian on September 30, 2013
Q: I would appreciate your opinion on the BMO Cdn Equity Protected Income Fund "FundSERV JHN993", and the First Asset U.S & Cda Life Income Fund "ULC.UN-T". thank you in advance for your input.
Read Answer Asked by Harold on September 25, 2013
Q: Hi Peter & 5i: Richards Packaging (RPI.UN) has moved higher since your last Report on it and your last Q&A comment as well. It was a C-plus stock for you to start with. Is it getting too expensive to buy now, at 52-wk highs, all things considered, or are underlying fundamentals improving to support the recent move? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Lance on September 25, 2013
Q: I own CDZ and some XDV. I notice that ZDV has a higher dividend payment than either of these. How would you rate ZDV compared to them?
Read Answer Asked by Maria on September 25, 2013
Q: Hello team - I am an investor of quality stocks that will (hopefully) grow their dividends annually. I am looking to add a few Canadian names to my taxable account. I currently own banks, TRP, ALA, BCE, PWF, SAP, BAD, and CNR. Which of the following do you see as having the brightest future for consistent dividend increases: CGX, SNC, CTY, KBL, CSU, THI, TRI, or other (??).

Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by James on September 24, 2013
Q: I know you have answered many questions on DCI already. Just wondering since the price drop of Direct Cash do you consider it a buy, sell or hold? I hold 100 shares in my LIRA at a cost of $20.00 per share. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Jimmy on September 24, 2013
Q: RE: Jeff's question of Sep 22 "They (PPNs) can be replicated....but.....using a combination of an ETF and a bond could still result in a decline of total principal at the wrong time."

It is not my intention to be disagreeable at all and I stand ready to be corrected if I have misconceptions about Hank C's idea but here is a real life example of Hank's Gambit:

On June 21, 2009 I purchased a $24000 Government of Canada Strip Bond maturing December 1, 2015 in my wife's RRSP for $20051 (includes commission estimated at $200) with an annual yield just over 3% which is being held to maturity. About the same time in her cash account I purchased $3600 worth of COW units plus a $10 commission. Although we have since moved around the $878 profit from the sale of COW, I believe her principal of $20050 is still not subject to any kind of decline (present value $23281) so long as the Canadian Govt continues to print banknotes AND I sheltered her interest in a tax sheltered account AND capital gains and dividends in her cash account have been tax preferred AND I knew roughly what fees were paid to set this up AND funds have not been locked in. I believe this approach is superior and safer than any structured product available in Canada including Index Linked GICs and PPNs.

It is my understanding that PPNs are 1) Not covered by CDIC and therefore guaranteed by the institution only, which is an inferior guarantee to Cdn Govt, and 2) any gains made on maturity are fully taxable as interest, so even if you have stock market gains which are capped in the contract, you will pay tax at the highest rate and 3) the capped gains are tied to the performance of the TSX 60 or other benchmark so if you have a loss or are flat all you will see is their very low "guaranteed"rate or worse, just your principal after years of investment and hope and 4) you will never see the true hidden fees disclosed in the contract and 5) funds are probably locked in till maturity or there is a high fee to escape. I have never purchased one of these PPNs though when the Bank puts on an ad campaign for them they look tempting to be sure, so my assumptions could be all hogwash. There is a 10 year old CMS article by Jim Yih which estimates undisclosed fees on PPNs to run from 2% to 12%, seems to me a case of buyer beware!

Please let me know where my ideas might have gone wrong as my wife will surely have my scalp if I lose anything of hers!

Also I have never met Hank Cunningham though I did see him speak once at the Canadian Moneyshow.

Thanks, J.
Read Answer Asked by Jeff on September 23, 2013