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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: Thank you for your advice during the current Covid 19 world . I followed it and as a result have weathered it fairly well.... This brings me to what I thought was a good investment pre Covid 19 and what I think is good now..... FIH.U has taken close to a 50% drop and I can definitely see why.... India's headwinds in battling the virus are large and with their population and crowded demographics. It is going to be a tough battle ..... This brings me to the parts of FIH.U ..... For each of the companies invested in how does 5I view their short and mid term prospects ? Using the four largest positions would be adequate for analysis .....For example I know Bangalore airport will survive but it might be a while before there is sufficient air travel to be in the black . And the IIFL investment and it's value going forward confuse me... There was quite a bit of controversy on the company for a while ... ......Also what is their cash position to accumulate businesses in this environment ? And at the end of the last quarter book value was in excess of $14.00 ... Would that still be an appropriate assessment of book value in this Covid 19 environment ? And in relation to it's current gap between price to book does 5I view it as good value ? .... Thank you for the steady advice you have been giving us during this pandemic ......
Read Answer Asked by Garth on October 13, 2020
Q: One is an ETF while the other used covered calls to enhance dividends. Can you tell me what real difference there is between them aside from the 5% vs 10%+ div. I was thinking of buying XDIV but several of its holdings are the same as DFN which I own. Any point in also owning XDIV?
Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by Mark on September 08, 2020
Q: Closed ended funds have a sometimes-deservedly mixed reputation. The Templeton Dragon fund's Far East coverage seems to offer that relatively rare (for me, at least) combination of excellent return and low correlation to other holdings in my portfolio. Can you comment on its value to a predominantly North American portfolio?
Read Answer Asked by David on August 26, 2020
Q: Hello 5i Team
Canadian General Investments (CGI) and United Corporations Ltd. (UNC) are “closed end funds” with a discount to book value and low trading volumes. Both of these entities have been around since the 1930’s.
The primary reason for holding them would be long term growth and stability and not dividend income. I would view them as “ballast” in the portfolio to maintain stability (i.e. low volatility).
In addition, since they hold foreign stocks, it eliminates issues with Foreign Holding reporting (Form T1135) and potential US Estate taxation.
Questions are:
1 – What are your thoughts on either of these as a long term holding in a non-registered account?
2 – Which company would be the better choice?
3 – Would it be better to hold E-L Financial (ELF) instead of United Corporations (UNC) since ELF owns approximately 52.5 % of UNC?
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on August 17, 2020
Q: Hello, split shares have dropped quite a lot recently. Most are well below the $5 threshold (DF-$3.08, DGS-$3.50, FFN-$3.52), where monthly dividends ($0.07-0.08) are distributed. Most of the companies that are being held in split shares are bank stocks and other high quality Canadian stocks.

I am trying to better understand the risks of owning split shares. I estimate the only circumstances I would not collect dividends are when:
1) the prices of the equity inside the split shares never go back to the normal level, and
2) the dividend-paying equity inside the split shares cuts and suspends dividends.

What other risks can you think of? Do you think the risk outweighs the rewards?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Esther on August 12, 2020
Q: PSTH-UN

Can you please give me your opinion on Bill Ackman's new SPAC IPO. In your opinion, is it a good medium/high risk investment?
Read Answer Asked by Brady on July 27, 2020
Q: Hello 5i Team

I am reviewing global infrastructure / real asset closed end funds as a means to diversify into US/Global infrastructure companies. Two examples I could find on the Canadian Market are Brookfield Global Infrastructure Securities Income Fund (BGI.UN) and Middlefield Global Real Asset Fund (RA.UN).
Questions are:

1 - Which is the better choice BGI.UN or RA.UN?
2 - Any Canadian or US listed ETFs that I should be looking at?
3 - Any other Canadian Closed End Funds I should be looking at?
4 - Any US listed Closed End Funds I should be looking at?
5 - What is a reasonable MER for these products (BGI.UN is 1.25 % and RA.UN is 1.10 %)?
6 - What is the minimum assets under management (AUM) I should be looking at ( BGI.UN is +/- $102M and RA.UN is +/- $100M)?
7 - Any other items to review?
Thanks


Read Answer Asked by Stephen on June 05, 2020
Q: I know that 5i has not generally recommended these split corp funds but I would like your take in this scenario. We know they bottom when asset value drops below an acceptable number and this has occurred. I recall years ago the same thing happened and yields disappeared and values plummeted. When the market bounced back however each roughly doubled and paid lucrative dividends until of course the next major downturn. My question given that we all expect new highs some day, is whether these would not be nice tuck ins today that will eventually appreciate if not double and begin paying great dividends?
Read Answer Asked by Tim on June 02, 2020
Q: I've held since its inception due to a) the track record of the former Sprott fund manager, and b) beause it was a fund that would have tools to perform well during a stock market setback. I am looking to sell as the fund did not fulfill purpose b. Am I missing something? And can I sell JFS.UN as I would my other stocks (without a penalty) in my Direct Investing account?
Read Answer Asked by Keith on April 28, 2020
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