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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: Morning folks,

Could you please comment in regards to establishing positions in good quality companies that are so called expensive. I hear money managers refer to companies as to rich and need to wait for a pullback before getting in. With some companies a pullback might not even happen. As a long term investor does it really matter when an investor buys in. Could you elaborate.

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Mark on June 30, 2017
Q: Hello Peter,
I'd appreciate your insight.

What do you think about the suggestions that money is moving out of technology and some of it will find its way in the biotech sector? I do not hold any US tech but do hold the biggish position in IWO and IWM combined. With no fresh money, what do you think of reducing the positions in either or both IWM/IWO combine and invest in IBB?
The second aspect where I would like your thoughts is on the Financials both side of the border. With BOC likely to raise rates atleast once, the TSX may drift down, maybe even a sharp reaction. What do you think of reducing TSX exposure, buying US dollars and investing in US financials for the second half of the year?
As always, appreciate your views.
Regards
Rajiv
Read Answer Asked by Rajiv on June 30, 2017
Q: I want to invest about $400000 new money, over what time period should I invest ? Is this a good time to get into the market or should I wait for possible pull back. or should I get into the market now by buying all the companies in the 5i income portfolio? or should I invest half now and half if the market pulls back.
Or should I just park the money in HFR until oct or nov?
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Hari on June 30, 2017
Q: I am very impressed with your ability to limit your balanced portfolio to 25 stocks. Currently I hold the above six stocks in the financial sector whereas you hold three. The only one with large imbedded gains is REF.UN which I have held for over twenty years. one third of our total portfolio follows your balanced portfolio. The other 2/3s is managed for us and includes a large allocation to canadian banks. I am willing to sacrifice some stability for more growth. Would you consolidate any of the above stocks to simplify the portfolio? Below is my current allocations. My bias is to keeping REF, GSY and ECN.
2.23% aif
3.16% ref
2.36% ecn
1.90% fsz
2.54% gsy
1.86% slf
Read Answer Asked by Paul on June 08, 2017
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and Team,

I understand the rationale for different weighting of sectors among the three portfolios. You've stated in the past that we should look at our entire portfolio to "determine where we stand", and I've done this for my RRIF, my wife's RRSP, both of our TFSA's and our joint Margin Account. I use Google Sheets to track this entire portfolio. My question is this: In a 'composite" portfolio, how can one determine the appropriate sector weighting, or is it purely a personal choice? For example, Technology is 21.38% of the Balanced Equity Portfolio, 32.05% of the Growth Portfolio, and 7.26% of the Income Portfolio. In our 'composite' portfolio, Technology has a weighting of 10.83% of the portfolio's equity portion. So I suppose my question would be "How do I know that my weightings are appropriate, and once weightings are chosen, do I stick with them? Or should they vary for different points in the economic cycle?"

I have another question that I'm hoping can be answered by one of our computer-savvy members: As mentioned, I use Google Sheets to track our portfolio which can "capture" the stock price for popular indexes like the TSX. However, there's a "new kid on the block", namely the Aequitas Neo index, and I haven't been able to "capture" prices to be inserted into Google Sheets automatically. As an example, a Canadian Money Saver top-rated ETF, (CLU) is no longer listed on the TSX, but is now listed on the Aequitas Neo index. Do any 5i members know how to accomplish this "price capturing"?

Given that there are several questions in this long-winded question, please deduct as many question credits as you deem necessary. Thanks for all your help! Now I'm going to watch Peter on BNN which I PVR'd earlier!
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on June 08, 2017
Q: Foreign asset and currency exposure.

As a retiree, I am concerned about the non-Canadian content of my portfolio. While all my holdings are listed in Canada, an increasing portion of the issuers' assets and/or revenue is in other countries, primarily US.

Are there any meaningful fx predictions for the next 5 years?

Is it fair to assume that issuers which report in US dollars will hedge, if at all, foreign revenue to US dollars and disregard
the fx risk of US revenue to its Canadian shareholders, even in cases (eg Brookfield) which are managed in Canada? On the other hand, I suppose that issuers which report in CAD would be motivated to hedge their USD revenue.
Read Answer Asked by Carl on May 31, 2017
Q: Good afternoon,

I'm thinking of replacing individual stocks that I've held for a long time in my RRSP with either XAW or VXC for the foreign portion of the RRSP portfolio and adding XIC or XIU for the Cdn portion of the portfolio. Is this a good idea and if so which would be your preference and recommendation. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Francesco on May 30, 2017
Q: i have a bit of a high allocation to banks and i was thinking of trimming Bns. I am also doing this because i have some fear of a housing bust and the proximity of the banks to such an event. And also because there may be a good chance that capital gains tax will be increased next year. I will re invest this money and my question has to do with what sector do you think would be the safest if a housing crash should result. For instance i had thought of buying Canadian Tire. But, i imagine a drop in the housing market will have a big affect on their sales as well. Appreciate your thoughts as usual
Read Answer Asked by joseph on May 30, 2017