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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: Along with picking individual stocks. I wanted to started buying ETFs that would cover US and international markets. I was thinking VSP for the US (S&P500), VXC for international and VAB for a bit of exposure to canadian bonds.

What do you think of these choices? Are there better choices out there?

Thank You,
Andrew
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on March 16, 2016
Q: I have limited exposure to Europe / Emerging Markets. Do you think it is a good time to invest in either of them and if so how would you do it? What are the best ETFs? Would you use a CAD hedged ETF/am I correct in understanding that buying a CAD hedged ETF would protect against the CAD appreciating?
Thank you as always.
Read Answer Asked by Arthur on March 14, 2016
Q: I am thinking this might be a good time to increase my exposure to Europe. I currently own Eur ( 3 % in an Rrsp portfolio that will be used to generate income) and I wonder if I should just add to that or take out an additional position in XEH.
Thank you.
Maggie
Read Answer Asked by Maggie on March 14, 2016
Q: I have $ 5500 in cash in my TFSA. I currently hold AW-UN plus GIC's in my TFSA. What would you suggest for the $ 5500 in cash, I may need the money in 6 years.

Shirley
Read Answer Asked by Shirley on March 14, 2016
Q: your thoughts on this coy & any target price for a tear or 2
Read Answer Asked by brian on March 11, 2016
Q: A couple of questions ...
It seems as if the CAC40 and the DAX made significant late moves today in just a few minutes ... I'm not sure what caused that, but in terms of trends Europe definitely (?) seems to be heading positive .
Firstly do you feel Europe is a good place to put some money to work (now) . Secondly , do you have any fave ETFs , or ADRs that we should be looking at .

Thankyou
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on March 11, 2016
Q: I have recently joined my local share club and am learning how to feel more comfortable acting as my own financial advisor.
I have transferred my existing mutual funds over to a TD Waterhouse Account and would like your advise on what to do next with these funds. I am 56 and would like this to grow over the next 10 years and then produce income for me as I have no pension. Thank You.
These are approximate
TDB889C - 29%
AIM1595C - 19%
AIM1571C - 13%
AIM1561 - 9%
AIM1581C - 7%
AIM1559C - 5%
Cash - 17.5%

Thank you


Read Answer Asked by Jan on March 08, 2016
Q: Could you give me some picks for emerging market etfs and could you hold them in a tfsa. Thanks
Chris
Read Answer Asked by chris on March 02, 2016
Q: Dear 5I team,
I bought these ETFs about a year ago for purposes of diversification in my portfolio, which is based on your balanced portfolio {RSP}. I am down 12% in FEZ, 17% in VEE and 6% in VSP. Should I continue to hold, or cut my losses and reinvest elsewhere.
Thanks for your advice.
Ellen
Read Answer Asked by Ellen on March 02, 2016
Q: I'm wondering what you think of putting a small position of the international part of my portfolio in an ETF that tracks India. I know that Ishares has one and it seems that it has been outperforming other emerging markets. If you like the idea, what percentage would you suggest investing? Thank you for all you do!
Pamela
Read Answer Asked by Pamela on February 29, 2016
Q: I want EM exposure and think IBN is an appropriate proxy. Does ICIC bank offer a way to play this theme? Any idea on the recent weakness?
Read Answer Asked by Kenneth on February 27, 2016
Q: Peter, with 100% of my portfolio in North America, I believe I should have some International exposure. China, Russia and even Europe scare me. Chile, on the other hand has a low debt/GDP and a stock market which demands companies to pay a dividend.
Is this fund a wise place to start my foray into International? Any other ETF which you like to diversify geographically?
Read Answer Asked by Barry on February 26, 2016
Q: What are your thoughts on this ETF for diversification in a tax free savings acct that has no foreign exposure for a conservative investor or a suggestion you might feel to be better THKS marcel
Read Answer Asked by Marcel on February 18, 2016
Q: Seems like a good time to buy Europe. can you recommend any ETFs?

Thanks Kindly!
Read Answer Asked by Austin on February 16, 2016
Q: At some point resources will recover and I am ready to slowly dip a toe into some of the more beaten up companies. I am wondering about BHP as it is a huge diversified miner, though it is not without its problems (e.g tailings pond collapse still to be dealt with). Does this seem like a good choice for a place to await a metals recovery? If the dividend gets cut, do you think it will be by more than 50%?

Thanks for your ongoing advice.
Read Answer Asked by Dave on February 12, 2016
Q: Hi, I bought some baba a while ago for a long term hold..It is now down 28%..Do you think it is good to hold for a long term. My initial thoughts were that it could be the next Amazon..I am not in any rush..But is the long-term thesis still true. Thanks. Shyam
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on February 12, 2016
Q: Hello I own HSBC as part of my Euro-Asian exposure. Long term holding, enjoy seeing the dividend flow in since there are no capital gains to speak of.

I was just looking at the payout ratio (both from an earnings and cash flow perspective)
As per my online broker:
On an EPS basis:
Last 4 Qtr’s normalized EPS was 0, 0.26, and 0.26, 0.25 cents or Total of .77 cents.
The HSBS annual dividend is $2.50. Not good… ):
On as cash flow basis:
For annual 2014 Total cash from operations is (21,372) . Not good … ):
Last quarter 2015 shows,
Total cash from operations: 14,590, Cap ex (1,020) and Dividends paid (1,834).
So last Qtr roughly 20 % of cash flow went for cap ex and dividends….seems better this Qtr 

Can you confirm I am going about calculating payout ratios the correct way?
I realize large cap foreign banks are not your speciality but could you give some outlook for the company?
What should I be looking at when next earnings come in?

Regards
Stephane
Read Answer Asked by Stephane on February 11, 2016
Q: Can I get your thought on Aeg, I know that value investors have had this as a top pick many times but the stock keeps going down. Also according to Yahoo finance the book value for this company is around $14, how can a stock with a book value of $14 trade at around $5
Read Answer Asked by Richard on February 10, 2016
Q: Hi Peter & team, what do you think of Volkswagen? It has drop quite substantially from its top of 2015. What would be the exact quote to use to buy VW? I have look it up and there are many quotes, this is confusing. What is the dividend? Is it listed on the NYSE? Thanks, Gervais
Read Answer Asked by Gervais on February 09, 2016