Investment Q&A

Q: Would you please advise me on which US ETF you think is best at present, given that JNJ is one of the top ten in VYM? Or is there another ETF that I don't know about?
Thank you.

Q: Given the uncertainty in short term market direction,I have 50% of my TFSA in cash.I believe Canadian interest rates are not going to rise.I am considering the choices listed above, unless you can suggest others.I also have some cash in my US$ RRSP and am considering the Vanguard fund for this cash.US rates may climb further,but not much.Perhaps you could rate these according to risk.
Thank you.

Q: Good day and best wishes to 5i team for 2019! Regarding the swap arrangement for these etfs in lue of dividend distributions. If for example they had a 3% yield.and say I owned 1000 shares at a book value of 10$per.share. would the distribution show up as more shares similar to a mutual fund. So if I then sold after distribution.i would have a capital gain of say 300$and no concerns regarding dividend? And second question do you see some good interest in this as a way to shelter income or would you more lean towards say vcns or vbal? Hope I do not confuse. Tks Larry

Q: I currently hold both VTI and VSP in my RRSP for US exposure.
VTI is my only US holding (i.e. trades on US exchange) in my RRSP, so it is the only holding that forces me to occasional exchange currencies (US dividend).
Which of the following options do you prefer (feel free to suggest an additional option):
1) Do nothing (continue converting the US dividends to CDN$).
2) move VTI to VSP. (CAD hedged.)
3) move VTI to VFV. (not hedged)
4) move VTI to VUN. (not hedged, broader index)
5) move VTI to VUS. (hedged, broader index)
Thanks.

Q: I am an old man (86) sitting on a lot of cash ($800.000) and I am considering on purchasing the following stocks equally invested what I think if is a conservative based portfolio.
VFV yield1.7%,XIU Yield 3.2%,CBO yield 2.61 %, XBB yield 2.9%,CBO yield 2.61 %
Would appreciate any comments you may have. I am looking for yield and relative safety. Thanks, Bill

Q: Hello: I am in the process of setting up a TFSA for my 25 years old daughter with ETFs where she can contribute whenever she has money. My questions are: 1) Is the ETF portfolio a simple way to invest? 2) What do you think about portfolio with just one ETF - VGRO? 3) Since it will be a DIY portfolio, is there any advantage in opening the account with Questrade/Wealthsimple in comparison to with TDwaterhouse? 4) if I don’t go with VGRO only, what ratios of XWD, VFV, VGG, HXQ, XSU +/- any other ETF do you recommend while keeping costs/MERs very low?

Q: Conservative, retired investor who loves dividends. I am normally a buy and hold investor, who trims-adds around core positions. I have a 3% position in ZWE. I've owned it since Oct '17 and am down 8%, including the dividends. So capturing some capital losses is an option.

Two questions...#1 is regarding the currency hedge. Normally I like the hedge product, since it takes some of the risk out of the investment. Your thoughts of keeping ZWE vs switching to an unhedged version, based on your "currency" crystal ball?

#2 is regarding the prospects for securities within ZWE and the current turmoil in the EU (Brexit, etc.). Has the market already priced in a lot of this turmoil? Should I consider adding or should I accept this is one of those investments that just did not work out and take my losses?

Thanks...Steve

Q: I'm considering buying HSPX. Doing my research I understand that their strategy is to write out of the money calls which if I'm not mistaken gives more upside to a covered call ETF. Is this both true and a correct assumption ? And also my TD Waterhouse quote shows a yield of 9.5% but when checking various other sites I see from 5% to 7%. What is the real annual yield ? And what is your opinion on this ETF in general ? Thanks Garth.

Q: I have 11% ZLU, 19% CDZ, 50% SDY, !% VWO, 15% VEA and 3% CGL in a RIF. I need to sell $12K from a RIF. Is there something you would recommend selling, or just move in kind?

Q: Looking to add some Ag and Au bullion. Which of these
do you like? Is there a pure silver bullion buy available?

Q: I have 75% ZDY and 25% CBO in my RIF & I need to sell $6K.
The ZDY is 10% of my overall portfolio. I have another 10% in CBO.
Should I sell or transfer in kind?

Q: Happy New Year.
I allocated 20% of my US holdings for high yield investments but want to avoid the tax implications of CEF/MLPs. Is there an ETF that you could recommend that covers this part of the market that eliminates the tax implications?

Q: What is your latest view on the performance of this etf. So far it appears to me that it has handled the latest downturn quite effectively when compared to the return of the tsx. I have been thinking of using this etf for the income portion of my portfolio. Would that be a good idea or would I be better off using bond etfs for the income portion? Tnx for the help.

Q: This title covers oil transport/storage infrastructure
thus not affected by WTI acc to promoters since its revenue is from transporting fuel. Dividends 8-10%. Despite transporting/storing only it suffers greatly from WTI price fluctuation. Half of 27% loss is recovered from dividends, any insight in this MLPA structure??
Art

Q: Hello Peter, Ryan and Team

Are there any TSX listed ETFs tracking CDN and USD Treasuries similar to
2-year Treasuries (SHY), 5-year Treasuries (IEI) and 10-year Treasuries (IEF) and are they a good investment options for fixed income under current market situation.

Best wishes for the new year
Ninad

Q: Health care sector: I own GUD, COV and RHT (I did not get out of RHT in time so will hold) in Canadian health sector - all are down significantly. I follow BE portfolio and have diversified non- Canadian mutual funds and etfs. What are your thoughts on USA health sector, which if any of the IBB, HHL, ZUH would you add for long term (5+ yrs)?

Q: Re your answer to Craig on ZUT. Aren't you concerned that the highest % holding they have in their ETF is JE at just under 10%.

That's the only reason I haven't bought into it. Your feelings?

Q: Recently read John Bogle, "Common Sense Investing"

What are my choices for purchasing the s & p 500 index, please compare MER, do all offer a canadian hedge? and what are the pros and cons of buying it hedged to canadian dollar?

thanks

Ernie

Q: Would ZWU or ZUT be a better hold for 2019 and beyond?

Q: Two questions on Canadian equity/dividend ETFs:

1) The holdings in DGRC are selected based on market cap, expected earnings growth, return on equity, and return on assets. How is it that none of the Big 5 Canadian banks qualify for inclusion in their portfolio? This is puzzling to me. What is your opinion of this ETF for the core Canadian equity component of one's portfolio, for a longterm hold?

2) You continue to recommend XIC despite reminding members, many a time, of how the TSX index is heavily concentrated in financials and energy. Why? It is a cheap ETF, but other CDN equity ETFs (like DGRC) are modestly more expensive but I can't help but think that the few extra basis points in cost are worth it if it allows for a more balanced sector allocation overall. You continue to recommend CDZ even though it is very expensive, with a MER of 0.66. Why? I know it is analogous to VGG/VIG, which you (and I) love, but I don't think they're comparable, since VGG/VIG contains many companies with a much longer history of dividend increases (including many so-called 'Dividend Aristocrats' and 'Dividend Kings' whereas inclusion in CDZ only requires that a company has a history of increasing its dividend in at least four of the last five years. It almost seems like the continued recommendation of XIC and CDZ is due more to historical reasons rather than their merits as of right now, relative to other ETFs that may not have been available when XIC and CDZ were first made available.