Investment Q&A

Q: Hi there,

I am seeing an increasing number of questions from people looking to exit their technology holdings and wonder (as I read your banner at the top of the page about doing nothing) if now is perhaps too late to be exiting. I understand that people may look for safer havens but I would like your opinion on whether or not people with a 5-10 year horizon and an appetite for risk should be scaling into many of the higher quality names rather than selling at what appears to be nearing a bottom. I can't help but think of so many who bailed out of oil stocks when things appeared dire and then didn't get back in for the massive rise.

Q: What do you think will happen to the Canadian dollar vs the US dollar when the Bank of Canada eventually raises interest rates?

Do you think there are any other short-term factors that might significantly affect the Canadian dollar vs the US dollar?

Q: Hi there, your comment is very true regarding the following;

All views should be considered and taken into account but this group has been quite bearish for probably a decade now, so eventually they will be right. We have a hard time imagining a 50% market crash. For context, the S&P 500 trades at about 20 times forward earnings, so a 50% drop would lead to the S&P 500 trading at 10X. Of course, earnings could also drop but we are not sure we see a high probability scenario where across the broad spectrum earnings/profits get cut by such a large degree.

However, your last sentence is what intrigued me the most! And looking forward, as the markets always do, maybe the markets foresee three quarters ahead for this year, and revenues/earnings/profits won't be as robust as they were for growth companies now that covid is really in the rearview mirror, with vaccines establishing normalcy (the new normalcy that is) going forward once again!

Thoughts looking forward six to nine months ahead for growth companies?

PS: Growth Companies will no longer get an easy pass any longer (as they have during these crazy Covid times), they are going to have to truly prove themselves as being relevant going forward, earning a buck or two or three..., in a cut throat world competing against one another! Everyone is done with Covid... and its time to move on with normalcy once again, as best as we all can, including the markets! :))

Q: Gentlemen: With Gold, Bonds, Money market funds, CDs, Emerging markets and cash all paying less than inflation, diversifying a portfolio to say 50% non equity as advised with aging, is a joke…. Where do you recommend looking for 2022?

Q: Do you think we are near capitulation yet, today Monday? Markets are really down!

Q: Is there a reason for the selloff today.
PB

Q: How do you view JETBlue's recovery in comparison to other US airlines?

Q: Disregarding objectives/diversification etc, how would you rank these companies in order of buying right now (for steady growth)? If you think any (or all) should not be bought currently, just omit from your ordering. Thank you!

Q: When higher interest rates eventually actually happen in the US, what do you think the initial reaction will be for semiconductor stocks? Will the first reaction be a dip, or perhaps they might move higher?

Are there any other events, such as an invasion of Ukraine, that you think would significantly impact the semiconductor stocks in the short term?

Q: Hi guys: If stagnation did appear later this year, what would be your top 5 U.S. and Canadian stocks?

Q: Hi Everyone at 5i! Me again. With your crystal ball on the table , how do you anticipate our Canadian dollar doing over the next few years?
Cheers, Tamara

Q: Hi All at 5i! Was the market run up in 2021 in anticipation of the pandemic being over, now contracting because the recovery is dragging on? Cheers, Tamara

Q: Hi Peter/Ryan as an investor and not a gambler who's tried to make a buck over the years doing what's right, investing in good companies having a properly balanced portfolio to not risk loosing it all, what chance do we have when this Jeremy Grantham comes out and makes a statement about the stocks collapsing. That alone can cause people to panic and sell, no? Thanks, Nick

Q: I read a lot about the Market online and through the media and I am seeing numerous who have claimed to have predicted such downturns as the 2008 and 2020 and who are saying that this one will be 30% plus before the end.

There have been a lot of downgrades lately and most recently being AMD and XPI. What is your take on this?

Thanks so much and hoping to get some insight into what is going on now.

Q: Hi 5i Team,

Jeremy Grantham in an interview on Bloomberg said he is certain of a coming crash in financial markets. Given the fact that he has been right in calling the Japanese bubbles in late 80s, the tech bust in 1999/2000, the housing bubbles in the States in late 2000s, I would like to get 5i's take on his call.

(I understand that he has been a shrew investor for 50 years and a crash caller for just as long. I suppose if you keep calling for a crash long enough, eventually you're going to be right on a few occasions. Just my thoughts).
Cheers,
H

Q: The market has been weak since the start of the year with the NASDAQ down over 10% from its November high. I don't own any not profitable tech, but I do own Shopify. Seems like the market is fading into the close the last few days and can't sustain a rally. Does this suggest more downside on a waiting pattern until the BOC and FOMC meetings next week. If history serves, it seems like these tightening cycles always overshoot in anticipation of the start and then settles out a bit. I guess the big difference this time is inflation and whether it moderates or forces the Fed to keep tightening. Thoughts?

Jason

Q: Hi 5i Team - Having been a growth investor I don't have a very clear idea of what a Value stock is. Could you explain what criteria or metrics make up this type of company. Am quite sure I probably have a few in my portfolios (and maybe didn't quite realize it) but would to like add at least a couple, maybe more. Would you be able to provide the names of a few Value stocks in the mid and large cap range. Also in the small cap area if possible. Any sector. Am assuming minimum 3 year hold for this type of investment. Thanks.

Q: I am a little embarrassed to admit that I am in all tech and growth companies. The rhetoric now about the interest rates, the war activity in Ukraine/ Russia, Threat of invasion China to Taiwan. Inflation and other factors that create the current environment. The question is boiled down to when do we see big tech i.e. MSFT, Tesla, NVDA and little tech : EGLX hit bottom and make gains again? CNBC Tom Lee Fundstrata says first half is volatile and choppy and the second half of 2022 we see gains and steady improvement. How low does the Nasdaq go before a upwards turn?

Q: What be the short term impact on the TSX of an actual physical invasion of the Ukraine by Russia. I find that the markets seem to be ignoring this real possibility in the near future given Russian influence in the worlds energy market.

Edward

Q: Question about Disruptors:

I am concerned about disruptors negatively affecting the future safety of my Canadian dividend portfolio that I have built for retirement - mainly blue chips. I have a long term view, and invest accordingly. Here are my concerns:

Banks (their high fees vs Fintech)
Utilities (eg. Tesla Energy Ventures)
Energy, Pipelines (EV's)
Insurance (Autonomous Vehicle reliability, companies increasing Human Longevity)
Telecoms (Cable-cutting)
Railroads (Autonomous Trucking)

Telecoms seem to be jacking up the cost to the customer for their internet service substantially to compensate for lost cable revenue, so maybe less to worry about there.
I know that it will take time for some of this to play out, but I read articles on disruptors daily, and some of this seems to be evolving quite quickly.

I am looking for portfolio diversifiers. Besides some disruptor ETF's I also own NTR and TECK.B which seem to be less apt to be impacted. I also own ATD, assuming that their change-over to charging stations will be successful. Other than Canadian Tech, what other solid Canadian companies would be good picks that perhaps may be "less impacted" ? FSV for instance ?

Also, if you have an alternative view on this, I certainly welcome your opinion.