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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 Peter,

I have $5000 burning a hole in my pocket, which I would like to turn into a "nice graduating gift" for my grandson. My timeframe is 4 years. What's your absolute best pick for growth at this time? I know this sounds a bit like going to the Oracle at Delphi, but it seems to work. You've provided so many excellent suggestions from which I've garnered some very nice returns ... and now I can't pick just one! Success, ironically, may be the bane of your chosen profession. Thanks so much for this wonderful service.
Read Answer Asked by Sylvia on May 12, 2014
Q: Hi Peter,

You mentioned some time ago that if you could one Canadian growth stock it would be Avigilon. The recent price action on the stock has been pretty frustrating for every investor. Have your views changed in any way. What should one do in a situation when the purchase price is around $30 and now it is going lower every minute as we speak. Would you recommend selling AVO and moving into something like WCP or SGY.
Read Answer Asked by Imtiaz on May 12, 2014
Q: Hello Team. Could you please provide you assessment of High Liner Food's results.They reported yesterday. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Ian on May 12, 2014
Q: Hi. Your response to Denis on CUS leads me to think you might not be aware that the dividend has been cut.

From the earnings release.

"The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share, representing a 27% reduction from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.1368"

Read Answer Asked by Alvyn on May 09, 2014
Q: AVO revisited: The central issue seems to be the CFO departure and whether it is health related. Why doesn't he simply issue a statement confirming or denying this? I noticed the CEO did not mention health in his interview. He actually tap danced around the issue saying "don't read too much into it". He could put an to this as well by issuing a statement that is more direct and less ambiguous.

In all likelihood they have made millions with AVO in part because so many of us have bought the shares. I would think given the circunmstances both of them owe their fellow shareholders an explanation. Otherwise this dark cloud is not going to disappear for quite a while. And innocent shareholders will suffer!!!



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Read Answer Asked by Donald on May 09, 2014
Q: RPI.un Peter and team. How would you explain the crazy price movement on this stock today (May 09) on such small volume? I don't understand.
Thanks
Jon
Read Answer Asked by Jon on May 09, 2014
Q: Can I please have your thoughts on CUS. Long term hold? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Denis on May 09, 2014
Q: Avigilion's growth rate has not slowed, the margins are even better and there has been a huge sell-off. I had a 5% weight in my portfolio which would be lower now at today's prices.
Is this the right time to buy some more and increase the portfolio weight with a lower average price? If you do not agree then would you suggest buy for a short term trade? With such a sharp drop, there has to be a bounce back about 10%? Or should i look to bail out when there is a bounce back? The average time frame that i try to invest for is 12 months.
Read Answer Asked by Rajiv on May 09, 2014
Q: Hi Peter & 5i: This just a comment on the recent Avigilon (AVO) events. I owned it. Now I don’t. I don’t view the quarterly report as a definitive answer to everyone’s worries upon the news of the CFO’s sudden departure, at least not all by itself. Management reported a great quarter but quarterly reports are not usually submitted to an external audit process the way that annual financial reports are. It is at least extremely odd that a CFO would have to exit the scene on the eve of the release of a financial report, when the production and accuracy of that report should presumably have been his responsibility. I have no insight into the facts of what has been going on at Avigilon but at this stage I identify that lack of knowledge as a significant barrier to continued investment. It may be tempting to view this as a situation where a healthy and growing company needed to part ways with a CFO, who for one reason or another was not going to be a long term good fit for the company. But it seems to me to be at least equally likely that a CFO’s departure on the eve of a quarterly report release may indicate that the CFO was not willing to stand behind the numbers and representations that management had chosen to go with in the report. If that is the case, then it could call into question the very report that optimistic investors are using as their basis for remaining invested, or possibly for re-investing or increasing investment after the decline from recent highs. It also seems to me that the downward trend preceding this report was fueled at least in part by earnings in the prior financial report missing the Street’s estimates. I would also look back to the last equity financing, which was upsized midstream, and the need for which has yet to be made clear. Not that it is anything like too late for redemption but 5i’s own answer from a March 18 Q&A was as follows:

“With this deal being upsized now to $100 mm we are somewhat surprised. The company, if nothing is bought, will have way too much cash. We will need to watch the company closely. We will be none too impressed if Avigilon does not utilize its cash hoard within a two or three month period. For now, we will give management the benefit of the doubt, based on past performance and their comments.”

So the most recent events may not turn out to have been the first crack in the egg. Whether or not my speculative concerns turn out to be valid, these kinds of issues can prompt short sellers’ attacks, which can play havoc with an investment thesis and chase people out of a stock at lower levels. So all in all, the risks on AVO seem higher to me, and the very positive report that the CFO did not stick around to present is not the perfect answer. Caveat emptor – at least.
Read Answer Asked by Lance on May 09, 2014
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