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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 great service. The improvements to the site are excellent.

My wife and I are value/income investors, currently focussed primarily on the Canadian Market. We had started our portfolio in early 2020 - and felt that the exchange rate was prohibitive to buy US stocks. Also, with the “Covid Crash” and trying to “learn the market” (more like drinking from a fire hose) we thought it best to focus on companies we knew (Country bias). We have done very well, in a very large part to the 5i community, and have built up a diversified portfolio of 36 holdings (including 2 ETF’s); paying six figures in dividends.

We are about a year from retirement and we have started to diversify more geographically and are looking primarily at ETF’s to achieve this. While the exchange rate is much better, the US now looks expensive to us, so we are looking to focus on the developed International markets. While ETF’s are lower risk, the broad array of options makes our heads spin. If this question is too long, please feel free to edit/omit the above paragraphs.

We have a few questions around ETF’s. Please deduct as necessary. We have read all the 5i Questions and viewed the “Fact Sheets” with the ETF’s mentioned below, as homework, and would appreciate your advice.

1. I like the idea of utilizing covered call EFT’s to help offset some of the lower yields (and potentially underperformance during a market turndown) in some of our growthier positions. For example we have a 1.5% position in LIFE (Evolve Global Healthcare CC Hedged), to help balance out SIS’s lower dividend. What percentage of a portfolio should be covered calls before it starts adversely impacting portfolio returns?

2. We also hold a 2.25% position in ZWE (BMO Europe High Dividend CC Hedged) and are looking to add either a 2.25% in PID (Purpose International Dividend) or ZDI (BMO International Dividend) which offer a decent dividend, and potentially more growth. PID currently pays a higher dividend, and we like that no one company has no more than a 2% weighting. Which of the two would you recommend, or are there other ETF’s you would suggest?

We have considered the impact to our sector weights with the above (as best we can) and will be upgrading to Portfolio Analytics to better allocate these. As we move to increase our weightings in ETF’s this will be extremely helpful.

Thank-you!
Read Answer Asked by Cory on June 25, 2021
Q: Hello. KRBN
I like the carbon credits area but don’t understand it well, how would this ETF make money for investors.
Any insight is appreciated thankyou
Read Answer Asked by Dave on June 24, 2021
Q: I'm a holder of BUG, Cyber Security ETF which has remained relatively flat. Meanwhile, I see CRWD is a top recommendation of yours and it has done quite well. This week's Economist has a feature on cyber security and I believe one of the key takeaways from the article is that firms are wasting a lot of money on ineffective cyber security providers. I welcome your thoughts on if selling BUG and replacing it with CRWD in a portfolio makes sense (betting on a sole winner rather than the sector as a whole), and if you would buy at this price? (Noting I was eyeing this stock a few weeks ago at $215)
Read Answer Asked by James on June 24, 2021
Q: Hi 5i,

Can you recommend a few Dividend & Growth ETF's for Europe and Asia (non-North American) markets.
Read Answer Asked by Dean on June 23, 2021
Q: Many companies started to market actively managed ETF's. TD recently followed the crowd with those above mentioned ETFs. From you experience which companies have the best chance of outperforming? How do you rate TD among the others and if I am looking for growth which actively manged ETF's would you recommend?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Saad on June 23, 2021
Q: A bit of USD cash to deploy in an unregistered account. Hit for the average with SPY, pick the safer large cap div payers with VIG or growth is the next big thing with IWO. Not a large sum so just topping up one of my 3 USA focused etfs I already hold. Which is the best buy right now, +5 year hold.
Read Answer Asked by Tom on June 23, 2021
Q: I heard an interview with Marin Katusa author of The Rise of America in which he stated companies such as Exxon, Shell, Ford etc. will be forced to buy carbon credits and this presents a huge investment opportunity. I would appreciate your analysis and if you agree how would you take advantage of this opportunity. Thank you for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Ian on June 23, 2021
Q: I would like to purchase an ETF for either Bitcoin or Ethereum.Could you explain the difference between the two

This would be a minimum of a ten year hold

Thank you
Paul W
Read Answer Asked by Paul on June 22, 2021
Q: I’m looking for a US value based ETF that will outperform the overall market if the rotation into value continues, but should just the same be a solid long term (5-10 year) hold regardless of how the growth/value trade plays out in the future. What would be your preference between IWN, IWS, VTWV or is there something else you would suggest?
Read Answer Asked by Steven on June 22, 2021
Q: I have a portfolio weighted to US Tech Growth stocks. About a year ago, I sold some companies and moved 10% of my cash into 1) Gold (HEP) 2) Short term bonds (HFR), and 3) a Banking ETF (ZWB) to diversify. These three have proven to be losers for me. Does it make sense to keep any of these three for continued diversification or are there better ways to round out the portfolio with a bit of a safety net? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Marc on June 22, 2021
Q: Portfolio analytics --> I need international exposure.

I'm 44yo with a high risk tolerance and 2 kids, 4 yrs and 7 yrs away from entering post-secondary.

Could you make some recommendations to plug this hole in my portfolio? Individual stocks and an ETF mix would be ideal.

Thank you,
Ian.
Read Answer Asked by Ian on June 22, 2021
Q: Within my fixed income allotment I've recently favored short term bonds over long term bonds on the advice that they will react less to changes in interest rates. However, since the Fed's meeting last week the opposite has occurred, as there has been a flight from short term bonds into long term bonds. Can you please explain why this is the case and then, given the current environment could you also rank the above ETF's in order of preference. If there are better fixed income suggestions please indicate. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Curtis on June 21, 2021
Q: Good morning 5i,

Love the updates.

Could you please give me your top US market ETF'S geared to growth as a S&P500, mid-cap, small-cap.

Taking into consideration low fee, low distribution and preferable lower allocation to tech as a whole.

I realize that's a driver but a lower top 10 holdings. Deduct accordingly.



Thank you very much!!!!
Read Answer Asked by Adam on June 21, 2021
Q: Hi Peter,
why DPST is down today? Is it a good buy?
Thank you,
KT
Read Answer Asked by kaushikbhai on June 18, 2021
Q: Hi,
I assume that you will deduct question points as you see fit.
I am considering simplifying and 'conservatising' my RRIF.My wife andI are in our mid 70's.
Portfolio Analytical has again shown that my account is unbalanced with inadequate foreign content. I also need to increase my weightings in Consumer (discretional and defensive), Industrial and Technology.

Could you please suggest 5 names for conservative longterm holds in non Canadian Stocks or ETF's in the following categories?
a)consumer defensive
b)consumer discretionary
c)Industrials
d)Technology .

With many thanks,
David
Read Answer Asked by david on June 16, 2021
Q: Good morning,
I own both ETFs (ZEB & ZBK) in my Non Reg account and would appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on which of these two ETFs you think will produce the best total return in the next year or two. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Francesco on June 15, 2021
Q: Would appreciate some guidance re bitcoin, especially the many ads that pop up in email. Is the rags to riches claim legitimate? Do the celebs - Trudeau, Connor MacDavid etc know they are advertising this item? Is bitcoin on the TSX?
Thank you for your insight,
Sharon de Vries
Read Answer Asked by Sharon on June 15, 2021