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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: Hi there,

Spartan is sitting about $1.80 above it's 52 week low. WCP is just $.20 or so above its 52 week low and pays a 3%+ dividend. Can you offer an opinion on why Spartan has had a greater bounce (WCP didn't decline as much?). Also, if someone wants to own one of the two which would you pick today and why?

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Tim on December 11, 2017
Q: I appreciate that to date, you haven't been overly enthusiastic about TWM, however, given that its recent results seemed to be good, the POR on its 2.5% dividend is only 34%, it just graduated to the TSX and finally, two days ago it entered into an agreement with TransAlta to build an inter-Alberta pipeline, might it perhaps be worth closer scrutiny?

Management certainly seem to have their eye on the ball.

Regards. Karl
Read Answer Asked by karl on December 11, 2017
Q: Six questions regarding pipelines:
(1) I understand that Enbridge finances most capital expenditures by way of debt or new equity, not retained earnings. I am thinking that this would be OK if its GAAP earnings per share are keeping pace with dividend increases and its debt service coverage is stable. Do you agree with these comments?
(2) I assume that the prospects for ENF are tied to ENB. Do you agree?
(3) Do PPL and IPL have the same policy as ENB regarding the financing of capital expenditures?
(4) Do you have preferences among ENB, IPL and PPL and, if so, why?
(5) If I am correct, ENB is mostly pipelines, PPL is mostly other midstream and IPL is somewhere in between. I have this idea that pipelines are more stable than other midstream activities. Is this simply wrong or an over-simplication?
(6) ENF, IPL and PPL represent 10% of my portfolio. Would you suggest lightening up? (I am retired and my portfolio is geared to income.)
Read Answer Asked by Carl on December 11, 2017
Q: Peter and His Wonder Team
Please give your current assessment of BXE. It has crashed since the 5 for 1 consolidation and also hit with tax loss selling. Would you rate this a hold because it may be over sold or just sell and take the loss even though it does not qualify as a tax loss. On the other hand would it be a reasonable contrarian play going into 2018 with more optimism concerning global growth?
Dr.Ernest Rivait
Read Answer Asked by Ernest on December 11, 2017
Q: In their Second Quarter Report 2017 at page 9 and Note 3 CQE took a $96,200,000 "Impairment Loss". Presumably no company wants to conduct impairment tests and publish the results, so I assume IFRS or TSE or CPPIB (lender) is the driver. The future price deck shown in Note 3 seems to me to be quite optimistic and minimize the amount of impairment, and they do state that a 10% decrease across the deck would produce further impairment of $107,000,000! A partial reversal therefor seems unlikely. So the questions - 1) Is CQE really the only O&G so challenged that it has to do impairment tests - I haven't seen any others? 2) in your view is bankruptcy more likely than a takeout?
Read Answer Asked by Fraser on December 11, 2017
Q: Oil prices are up around 10% ytd; RRX is down around 30%. I bought RRX with the premise that the oil market at some point would start to rebalance. The oil piece seems to be working itself out; can you explain the huge divergence with RRX.

Also, I could use the capital loss on RRX this year. Can you provide a good company to swap into. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Darcy on December 07, 2017
Q: hi folks:

looking for direction on oil services/drilling co's

balance sheet-wise what are your 2 -3 choices for long term stability in the energy services area?

(not concerned if it is a frack co; daylighters, upstream downstream etc etc etc)

and, since I have you........

what are your current 2-3 choices for pipelines; oil co's; gas co's

as with service co's i am primarily concerned with future viability (ie staying in business) vs biggest potential recovery

been sitting on my hands and actually making money...........by not buying as yet

thank you
Read Answer Asked by Robert on December 07, 2017
Q: Hi folks,can you explain the difference between WCS (West Canada Select) pricing versus WTI. TD shows Wcs at $40sh while Wti is $57sh;that is a huge differential spread. Does this affect companies I own; Rrx/t & Pey/t?? or mostly involves companies in The "Oil Sands" like Cpg & Cve. I understand no new pipelines hurt but is the Wcs price, what is holding Canadian oil companies from participating in the recent Wti runnup. Thanks as always and just renewed 2 more years into 2020 haha, jb Piedmont QC
Read Answer Asked by John on December 07, 2017
Q: Hello Peter,
I have a 2.5% portfolio weight in energy stocks, constituting of HWO (down -33%) PONY (-76%) RRX (-31%) TOU (-53%) and WCP (-41%).
Should I sell all and crystallize the loss for tax purposes or are there any that you would suggest holding on? What percentage of the portfolio would you allocate to energy at this time and perhaps suggest 3-5 names in order of preference that I could invest either now or 30 days later when I can buy my tax loss divestment.
As always your opinion is greatly appreciated.
Regards
Read Answer Asked by Rajiv on December 06, 2017
Q: I wish to reposition some of my energy producers in my portfolio. With strengthening commodity prices can you you please identify,in order,5 Canadian producers you would hold for future appreciation. My preference is that they pay a dividend but if you think price appreciation would exceed current dividend yield, then please include.
If not considering dividends, what are your top 5.
Read Answer Asked by Peter on December 06, 2017