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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: I have been doing some private 2nd mortgage investing and even though they pay and attractive 16% annually, you are locked in for 2 year. Instead, the Life and Bank Split Corp--symbol LBS has been recommended to replace some of the more riskier 2nd mortage investments. Can you please provide and opinion?
Read Answer Asked by Bohdan on July 15, 2014
Q: Realizing you don't cover American stocks that much, but could you comment on Aflac [AFL] and Medtronics [MDT] as to which would be your preferential hold in an RRSP? And why if possible. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by steve on July 14, 2014
Q: This may very well be outside you area of focus, however thought I would still ask as I respect your opinion on equities.

Contra the Heard was on BNN yesterday with three very small US bank recommendations and a previous small bank recommendation. I am starting my due diligence and chart work. Any thoughts you may or may not have would be appreciated.

The stocks in question are FUNC, MCBC, CACB, BUSE.

thanks in advance, Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on July 11, 2014
Q: I’ve been wondering if I should make some amendments to some of our investments in the financial sector which amounts to 20.75% across four registered portfolios for me and my wife. We are both close to 70 and need a little income from our investments. Dividend payouts are barely keeping up with withdrawals from the RRIFs.

We own stocks in four major Canadian banks:
Toronto Dominion TD – 3.43%
Scotiabank BNS – 3.43%
Bank of Montreal BMO - 2.87%
CIBC CM – 3.51%

We also own:
Power Financial PWF - 2.42%
Sun Life SLF - 2.87%

And
Ship Finance SFL (US) - 2.22%

The four banks were bought at different times and have all done quite well overall, some seeming to move ahead while others were lagging and then the picture changing and the positions being reversed. I know you like BNS, but I was wondering if it is a good thing to spread the investment over four institutions for diversification.
Same question for the insurance companies. This time around, I bought them both at the same time, but Sun Life has done better than Power Financial.
Ship Finance is a recent purchase and too soon to comment on.
In separate correspondence after my initial message didn’t get through, I note you answered my question that that you think the financial sector should be 15% – 20% of a portfolio.

Thanks for your advice.
John M
Read Answer Asked by John on July 10, 2014
Q: Aston Hill? It truly baffles me why AHF trades down on a positive press release about AUM. Does this company hit a wall of selling because it issues stock to make acquisitions. It acts like no other stock I have owned and despite apparent good news it has not shown any stength for a very long time. What am I missing?
Read Answer Asked by Sue on July 10, 2014
Q: Hi Guys
Can i have your opinion on Goldman Sachs, and do you see it eventually getting back to its old highs.

Thanks Gord
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on July 10, 2014
Q: According to my G & M watch list, TD has a roughly 34% dividend payout ratio, which seems very comfortable. BMO and BNS, however, both have negative payout ratios of 118 and 134. Does that mean they are making that much more than they pay out? and does itmean they are a better "bang for the buck" than TD? .
I own all three and don't plan to sell any. Just wondering Thanks again for your wonderful service. I can't overemphasize how much I appreciate it.
Read Answer Asked by M.S. on July 09, 2014
Q: Your opinion on FSC, Fifth Street Finance Corp. Is it a buy at today's prices? It just raised it's dividend. How does it look as to valuations? Is this new dividend sustainable? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Max on July 08, 2014
Q: CFN Carfinco Just wondering what you make of the most recent news coming out of CFN? Record loan originations does not speak to rising delinquencies of loans but...
Read Answer Asked by Gerald on July 07, 2014
Q: Hello team, my question is about Mastercard. Last year after reading in the Toronto newspaper how dominant MA is and is going to be - with the world carrying less cash for small purchase needs - and seeing the stock ramping up consistently, I purchased a significant amount of the stock. In very short order the stock had a 10-1 stock split and i was hopeful that it would continue to increase. From over $800 (split to over $80) per share its dropped and floundered in the mid $70.00's. I compare the MA results to my Canadian funds and realize I would have been much better off keeping with my home grown stocks. For added perspective, I'm 55, doing well financially, I own my property, have a very small debt. I hope to retire comfortably within a year. My goal is to achieve 10% annual earnings on my portfolio once I retire. At this time, between my business and my stocks i am heading towards the $2.5 and $3 million dollar mark in my investments. Currently MA is 6.6% of my portfolio. My stock portfolio and rrsp's is my future, I have no pension. I live alone and have no other secondary source of funding or financial responsibility.
What are your thoughts on MA as part of my portfolio overall and with your learned crystal ball - what is your opinion of the stock - say over the next year.
Many thanks, Dave
Read Answer Asked by David on July 07, 2014
Q: Hi I would like to know your opinion on Prudential Financial (PRU-US)? Thank you. Jean
Read Answer Asked by Jean on July 02, 2014
Q: Please help me to decide which stock 0r stocks should I buy now or later at the right price. The 3 stocks are listed on US market and they are: MA.us, V,us, AXP,us. Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Ben (Balbir) on July 02, 2014
Q: Is csx counsel corp a buy? Someone on bnn compared it to home capital group. Said it could be the next home capital? Do you agree?
Read Answer Asked by Helen on June 29, 2014
Q: Do you have any views on Callidus Capital Corp. I know it is a recent listing but hoping you knew something or knew the people involved.



Bryon in Elmira
Read Answer Asked by Bryon on June 26, 2014
Q: Your opinion on GSBC, Great Southern Bancorp please. Buy, sell or hold? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Max on June 26, 2014
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