Investment Q&A

Q: Hi team
For a new, young( 35) investor who contributes small regular amounts into an RRSP account, what is the cheapest fee way to make investments? Would an ETF be the way to go? and if so would you recommend a single ETF or several to diversify somewhat?
Thanks
Kathy

Q: This is a statement not a question but I would appreciate you posting. I think the best thing I have learned from your research and advice is to not be afraid of purchasing a stock on your recommendations just because it has had a good run. I bought Paladin one week before the takeover announcement, and Constellation only one month ago, on your positive outlook for both stocks. Your advice looks forward based on what you think a stock will do, not what it has done. 5i Research is helping many people. Bill

Q: Good morning...quick question...in one of my self direct accounts ($100,000) I plan to mirror your portfolio...I understand we can't time the market but should I purchase all in one day or split over a period of 30days...Thanks

Q: I've sold Paladin (thank you) and have cash to invest. My stock holdings are below. Looking for 3-4 new HIGH QUALITY companies (regardless of sector) that aren't highly cyclical and you would consider "must adds" for a long-term investor.
Tech 30% - CSU/AAPL/ESL/MDA/AYA/GIB
Fin 30% - BNS/XLF/AIG/BMO/CXS
Ind 10% - STN/BYD.UN
CD 10% - CGX/ACQ
Enr 10% - CPG/PPL
Tel 5% - T
Hlth 5% - VRX
Thanks for your great service!

Q: Please comment on my attempt to trim. 100 shares of CSU was purchased at $116. Present value is $196. It is now 9.8% of my portfolio which is about $200,000. If I sell 30 shares at $196 that would reduce the holding to 6.9% of my portfolio. Is this worth the effort?
I also own 600 shares of ESL @ $27.76. This is 8.3% of my portfolio. If I sell 100 shares that would reduce this holding to 5.4%. Alan W.

Q: 5i Team,

Portfolio management question. I think most investors here have a TFSA, RSP and Self Directed Cash Accounts (US & CDN).

Where would you try to position the following type of companies:

1. Small Cap / growth stocks
2. Mid / Large Cap - No dividends
3. Mid / Large Cap - dividend payer

I'm thinking, small caps in TFSA, buit not sure about the others... what type of companies should go in the RSP vs. Cdn/US cash accounts if given a blank slate?

Thank you.

Q: "November 06, 2013 (asked by Philip)
Question: No question, just a comment. Thank-you so much for providing this service. This Q & A forum has taught me so much as an individual investor."

I could not have said this better! Thank you so much for everything.

Q: You (and your team) are doing an excellent job. It is definitely evident by your results and the accolades from many of your members. However, I must believe that like many of us, you've had your bad days as well. Are there any lessons learnt that can be shared with all of us. Thank you.

Q: Thank you for the recommendation of Avigilon. We will continue to hold.
We are setting up an RESP for our grandson [an infant], and would like to invest the donation. Which holdings in 5I would be appropriate ? What do you think of RESPs? There seems to be a lot of rules . thanks

Q: No question, just a comment. Thank-you so much for providing this service. This Q & A forum has taught me so much as an individual investor. When I began with your service I knew very little about stocks and was buying on tips of those that looked to be better off than I. This forum has taught me how to push aside the hype and truly evaluate the potential of a stock, and as proof, I have begun building a consistently positive return portfolio. Thank-you and all the forum participants for sharing your valuable wisdom on a daily basis - Cheers.

Q: I submitted a question regarding portfolio management a few days ago and my thought is that you may not have received it. My question had to do with the number of positions one should hold as the size of your investment portfolio grows. That is, would 20 holdings be appropriate for any sized investment portfolio or is there a point where additional holdings should be considered. Thanks for your help.

Q: Hi Peter and team. I have another porfolio management question.
We are having trouble allocating equity and ETF's between the regular portfolio we manage on our own and the TFSA. After 5 yrs the TFSA holdings are about half and we've noticed ofcourse that you can not claim losses. This should be obvious but is it better to put the ETF's in the TFSA and stocks outside? Trying to create a sleep at night portfolio has been a challenge.
Thanks for any input. Jan

Q: What is the signifigance of beta? I thought that numbers below 1.0 indicated a less volatile stock, but when I look at some charts I see stocks with betas below 1.0 going up and down like yo-yos.

Q: I want to thank you so much for AVO. I have made amazing amounts of money with this stock and no doubt the good story will continue.Now I am waiting for other great stories over the next week like bad, acq, byd.un aya and another great one which you will be reporting on soon and that is DHX. What are you thoughts regarding their upcoming earnings? I own them all.

Q: Good morning Peter and team.
If one places a market order, in what sequence are orders executed relative to limit orders and all other market orders? In the order that they were placed?
Thanks

Q: which companies that you guys have covered could be the most negatively affected by a surprise interest rate increase, thanks?

Q: Hello Peter.
This may be more of a portfolio management and Investor behaviour question but as everyone wants to own a portfolio that grows and/or grows income, from your experience how does an individual investor balance all the inputs?
Inputs like, Media noting markets appear to have run their distance, Others saying we are in a long-term Bull at least into March next year, technical managers indicating sell when the uptrend is broken.(good investments don't always stay in an uptrend)
I understand most of this is noise and some is out there to generate market activity, but in the mix has to be some truth to be distilled.
As a small investor, I am interested in seeing my portfolio grow over time and would like to not pay 2.5% or more to the banks for keeping my capital in a mutual fund.
I guess the question is, how does a small investor navigate through the noise and what are the important structural inputs for successful investing as a retail investor? What are the important inputs that will support the right moves (portfolio management) at the right time?
Your thoughts on this and any resources or readings in this area you can recommend would be appreciated.
Thanks for this ongoing excellent service
Dave

Q: Why do some companies announce their latest quarterly earnings (eg., AGU today) after the close of markets? Is this an indicator of impending poor results?

Q: David's question about profit & DRIP's.
I faced the same question - within RRSP - and have decided - for now - to take profit & reinvest profit into other dividend stock I do not currently own thereby increasing diversity while keeping up the share count.

Q: Hello Peter:
First in a very short duration of membership, I am very impressed with the response and quality of advice provided. I have listened to you for long time on BNN from your stint in Sprott onward and I like your investment style.

I would very much like to learn how you assign rating on a stock and rationale for weighting within portfolio. For example you changed weighting on AYA.

I try to segment portfolio two ways; as the type of investment (Foundational, cyclical, opportunistic) and according to 13 TSX groups (Discretionary, Staples, Energy, Materials …). Segmentation is to have diversification. Each position is not more than 5%. Bond segment is outside this portfolio. Am I on the right track? Finding which TSX group the stock belongs is sometime difficult so I use my judgment. Any insight on portfolio creation and maintenance will be appreciated. Thanking you.