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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: Where would be a good place to park cash for the short and medium term?
Read Answer Asked by Tom on May 10, 2019
Q: My husband and I are basically retired (I still am working a couple of days a week as I enjoy it) so our income is now from CPP, his OAS, and investments.

I have been reading about pensionizing income after retirement, especially if a person doesn't have a corporate pension. The literature talks about annuities. With low interest rates they are more expensive then if interest rates are higher but regardless they would provide guaranteed income, although not indexed. This provides some income security. What is your opinion on annuities? My husband is 68 and I am 63.
Read Answer Asked by Betty on May 08, 2019
Q: I have a question about the tax treatment of Canadian stocks that are listed on the American exchange. I own a number of Canadian stocks listed in the TSX that pay Canadian dividends and allow me to apply dividend tax credit in my non-registered account. Ex. AQN, BNS, BIP.un
I'm considering exchanging some of these stocks to the American exchange so that I can collect dividends in US dollars.
Will the dividend tax credit remain in tact in the non-registered account?Would there be any tax with held impact if I made to same switch in my TFSA?
Read Answer Asked by Brian on May 08, 2019
Q: Have some cash account money to invest right now, could you recommend some suitable options ? Need to be able to liquidate in event of house purchase/investment.
Read Answer Asked by Bernie on May 08, 2019
Q: Hey 5i,
I am a new investor and member of 5i. Upon review of your Reports and Portfolios I have decided that my portfolio will be a mix of Income and Growth. My question is as to the number of stocks to purchase to balance my Portfolio. If stock A is valued at $100 and Stock B is $25, should I purchase 4 of A ($400) and B ($100) , or 1 of A ($100) and 4 of B($100)?
Read Answer Asked by Matthew on May 07, 2019
Q: This is a strategy question that has to do with using margin debt. I am wondering what you think of buying on margin. Last year for the first time, I bought on margin, roughly from fifty to one hundred thousand at various times throughout the year. This is a small percentage of my portfolio and thus not too dangerous. In doing my taxes I see that I paid $2480 in interest. The government gave me back $1187 of that as carrying charges. That means there was $1280 left. I bought all high dividend paying stocks and so expect that I recuperated or surpassed that amount in dividends. Then I get the capital gains for nothing. ( Or, the capital loss, also.).

So, I suppose I am asking you whether it is worth the trouble? Especially when I have 20 or 30 percent fixed income. Perhaps I should use that if i want to try to leverage things a bit? I am thinking that it may be a good stragegy when one feels that stocks are really low. But, the rest of the time it is hard to make any money. But, i am more interested in your thoughts on the strategy.
thanks
Read Answer Asked by joseph on May 07, 2019
Q: Your PA has recommended reducing my Tech holdings and increasing my US and International allocation. I would like to reduce Tech by about 1/3 and use those proceeds for purchasing VUN and XEF. VUN appears to have about a 20% tech component, so I would need to reduce more than the 1/3 of my current holdings to offset that VUN tech portion. Your recommendations on which equities I should trim/eliminate would be very helpful in trying to sort this out !! Many thanks, as always.

Current Tech % holdings in RSP/TFSA/ UnReg accounts are approx:
ENGH 2.5%
KXS 3.5 %
OTEX 3..5 %
SHOP 3.5%
SYZ 3.8%
PHO 1.3%
and in RIFs - for yield:
AB 3%
ET 1.8%
Read Answer Asked by Alexandra on May 07, 2019
Q: This is not a question about this particular company but simply an example. The notice today on earnings for Carbonite stated:
Non-GAAP EPS were $.44 above estimates for $.36
Net EPS was $.06 missing forecasts by a nickle
It goes on to talk about actual and estimated sales both on an Non-GAAP and GAAP basis.
Can you explain what the difference is between the GAAP and Non-GAAP numbers? and how Non-GAAP earnings of .$44 turn into $ .06 when shown on a NET basis and for your DIY investors, which should we pay attention to?
Read Answer Asked by Barry on May 06, 2019
Q: How would you screen for momentum stocks? What would be the criteria for getting in and out? I'm looking for info on how to make these trades for short and medium term. I'm ok with medium to high risk and will be working with 5% of my portfolio.
Please deduct as many credits as needed. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by K on May 06, 2019
Q: Hello,
what risks, if any, should an investor take into account when purchasing all their ETF's from the same provider? I am talking about the big guys here such as Vanguard or Blackrock. Since the ETF's are broad based there is no issue that I see with a fund manager making investment decision (are hot or cold) and these companies are large and profitable so I don't really see any risks other than general market performance. Am I missing something?

Thanks,

Dan
Read Answer Asked by Daniel on May 01, 2019
Q: Portfolio Analytics is recommending that I have 70% of my equities in US and international stocks. 5i has also often recommended that one should not hedge the currencies. Are you recommending that one should not hedge the currency because some ETFs charge extra for hedging, or do you anticipate that the Canadian dollar will continue to trend downwards for the forseeable future?

I am concerned that 70% foreign currency exposure is too much risk, especially given that the Canadian dollar is relatively low at the moment on a historical basis. Many ETFs, such as those offered by BMO, offer hedged and unhedged versions for the same MER. Would you recommend that I buy the hedged versions to decrease foreign currency exposure?

What is the maximum percentage of a portfolio which you would recommend involve foreign currency exposure? I am close to retirement, but will have a good pension and do not anticipate needing access to my investment funds in the forseeable future.

Thank you for this great service!
Dale
Read Answer Asked by Dale on May 01, 2019
Q: Is this a good hedge to a long only portfolio?
Read Answer Asked by Charles on May 01, 2019
Q: I have a self-directed RSP trading account in my name and will soon be converting it to a RIFF. My wife is the younger (63yrs) so I would like to use the lower required withdrawal rate as the schedule dictates for her age. To do this would this mean that we would need the RSP/RIFF in both our names - or could I leave it in just my name?
THX
Ralph.....
Read Answer Asked by RALPH on April 30, 2019
Q: Hi 5i,

I looked at BYND IPO, but the company doesn't seem that solid (reliance of single crop, manufacturing facilities uncertainties, potential scale of competitors, etc.).

However, I do feel that plant based proteins will become a bigger proportion of our daily diets. What is the best way to invest in this growing sector?

TIA!
Read Answer Asked by Wayne on April 29, 2019