Investment Q&A

Q: Your recent market report suggested US small caps May out perform during the next few years. Can you recommend a couple of ETFs that trade in Cdn $

Q: Hello, last question on bond ETFs: for diversification purposes, having in my RSP individual canadian bonds, it might be interesting to invest in VGAB or VBU for additional money in fixed income products. For a long term investment, which ETF is preferable for the next few years: VGAB or VBU (given the interest rate context, etc.)? Thanks.

Q: What are your favorite ETFs in Utilities sector? In the US and Canada. Also in Europe.
(I have a small position in VPU. Not sure if it meets your approval)
Want to structure an asymmetric barbell, just in case there's more
than expected pullback!
Many thanks in advance.

Q: Retired (70 yrs old), dividend-income investor. Been meaning to ask this question for a long time. We run a concentrated portfolio of roughly 10 ETFs and 10 stocks, plus fixed income on top. Our pro-rated MER for the equity ETFs is 0.64 and for the entire portfolio is 0.38.

I use the ETFs above that are sector ETFs (like HHL, NNRG, XIT) as my proxy for the sector and am ok with the trade off of paying fees for a sector ETF instead of having lots of stocks.

I then add my individual stock selections to achieve my targeted Asset Allocation for the entire portfolio (like AD, BCE, FTS, GSY, RY, NWC, PBH, TRP, WSP, etc). I weight each of these relative to my risk tolerance.

Does this make sense to you? Does my "sector ETF" make sense, especially with a potentially large weighting in one ETF. Virtually all of my ETFs are capped at around 7% of the equity portfolio and the stocks are capped at 5% max.

Your thoughts on my strategy and on my MER....thanks...Steve

Q: Hello,
I’m not sure if this question is out of scope. However my daughter and son in law are moving from Switzerland to Canada in the new year. They have some questions regarding their investments so I thought I would see if your team can help with answers.
- We have UCITS Irish domiciled ETFs so that we don’t have to pay US withholding tax - are these available in Canada?
- If not, are there any options to invest in for example an S&P 500 ETF (or other US ETFs) without having to pay withholding tax?
- do you have a brokerage account that you recommend? We currently use CornerTrader/CornerBank but they are not present in Canada so we have to switch

Q: Would any of these ETF's have year-end distributions?
Is it a good idea to just wait until the new calendar year now, to start a new position in one of these?

Q: Please provide a suggestion for an US ETF that invests in basket of US dividend paying stocks such as PM, BAC, HD, MCD, BLK. Thank you

Q: Hi team, I would like to generate some income in US dollars.

Could you please recommend 2 or 3 dividend paying US stocks, together with a brief explanation as to why you like those companies. I would also be OK with an ETF if you think that is a better way to go.

Thanks as always,
Paula

Q: Could you please give your opinion on ZMID and RBF617 - which would you prefer over the next 5 years. Also, with the Canadian / US $ exchange rate currently being where it is, would this be a good time to use the hedged version of the above or do you prefer the unhedged versions?

Thank you so much!!

Q: Can you provide a synopsis of the above (recently inherited) funds? Are either of these funds pure equity? Would you consider them to be worth keeping or is there an ETF or two that will likely allow for better returns?

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.

Q: I have cash from a maturing GIC and am looking at options to reinvest it. I am considering evenly investing it in these 4. Time horizon is 2 to 5 years, low to medium risk. I would appreciate your thoughts on these or if there are other ETF's to consider. Thanks!

Q: Do you know if there is a consumer staple etf that trades on the TSX?

Q: May I have your thoughts on 2 or 3 defensive ETFs, US preferred, with growth potential that also pay a moderate dividend.
With thanks.

Q: Barry Ritholtz: Some investors have big, concentrated equity positions that have accrued big gains. Maybe it’s due to employee stock option plans. Perhaps they have some founder stock from a startup. Maybe there was an IPO or a takeover.

But suddenly they find themselves sitting on an uncomfortably large percentage of their portfolio in a single name. The challenge for investors is how can they diversify when selling shares leads to owing big capital gains? What’s an investor to do?

I’m Barry Ritholtz and on today’s edition of at the money we’re going to discuss how to manage concentrated equity positions with an eye towards diversification and managing big capital gains taxes.

To help us unpack all of this and what it means for your portfolio Let’s bring in Meb Faber He’s the founder and chief investment officer of Cambria. The fund runs 15 ETFs and manages nearly 3 billion in assets. Their new ETF is coming out in December 2024: The Cambria TaxAware ETF – symbol TAX – is a solution to address just these challenges of concentrated positions.

The above quote is intriguing. If I understand it correctly It will allow a tax deferred diversification from a single holding with large capital gains. It hardly seems possible. If I read this correctly, will this etf be available for Canadians? How do you view it?
Thanks

Q: With the runup in bitcoin to $100K, do you think there's more potential in etherium and if so, what would be the best ways to play it?

thnx in advance
Dave

Q: Hello 5i,
Is it better to hold DLR or DLR.U if the US currency is strengthening against the Canadian dollar?
Thank you for help.

Q: Hi Team,
What would be some of your best ideas in the small/ mid cap space today either US or CND that you see having the best potential over the next decade (medium risk). Or alternatively if I wanted to play it safer what US based etf would be suitable to play the theme here assuming small and mid caps will show outperformance in the next few years? I am leaning towards the US sector as outperforming canada at least in the next few years.

Shane.

Q: I purchased the above three ETFs

MAGS for Mag 7

IGV for Software and

BUG for Cyber Protection

Have I got the good areas Covered with these three purchases What other areas should I purchase RAK

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Q: Is the IBIT ETF allowed to be held in a TFSA ?

- I understand Bitcoin or other Crypto cant be held directly in a TFSA

- I know you aren't tax consultants, But would appreciate a general knowledge answer...

Thanks,
M

Q: Which ETF's would you recommend that cover some or all of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks? Thank you.