Investment Q&A

Q: I bought Argent EN-B CV 6.5% 31 Dec. 18 I paid $9000 and it is down 39% since purchase. Will I still get all my money back at the maturity date? They are still paying the interest each quarter. I assume if they go bankrupt I won't but what if they stay solvent.
Many thanks, and I will keep recommending people to your site.
Sincerely, Al

Q: Would like your opinion on gxe latest quarter and the reason for the stock price drop. Your forward looking outlook.

Q: Peter,

can you please update your opinion of BBI. They recently got the cash you mentioned they would need. Some of the drill results from NuVista directly next door look interesting. Stock is acting healthy, especially with the brutality in the oil sector.

thanks for your thoughts.

Q: A comment to Marc's question.

Note that, as of Feb.10, 2015 (i.e. one year before maturity), Vermillion can redeem ("call") this bond at 100% of face value (plus any accumulated interest), i.e. without any additional "sweetener". If Vermillion feels that it can refinance this debt in the current environment with a better interest rate than 6.5%, it is quite likely to be redeemed and you likely will actually lose a bit of money (based on your above-par purchase price).

I suspect that this is the reason that the apparent >4% yield-to-maturity looks so attractive for such a short-term holding, since it is quite likely that the bond will be called.

Q: Could you comment on ceu earning thanks Kim

Q: Your expert view on CQE's results today.Also your advice as bought it @ $2.55.Thanks a lot for your usual good services & opinions.

Q: Hi, I bought HOU at $5 and it is now trading at $2.87.
In your opinion, can an ETF on crude oil go bankrupt?
Thanks

Q: Hello,
Taking into account that you like this stock, can you please comment on the valuation of this company (price / cash flow i assume would be the best metric ?) vs the sustainability of their growth rate, assets / reserve, volatility to commodity price and vs competing companies in the industry. Thank you for your great service.

Q: Thanks for freat advice!
I am 69 years old wuth avdefined pension which needs supplementing and would like to earn income and get growth exceeding inflation in some energy stocks whether or not the price of oil goes up or down... How would you rate each of these industries for this purpose going forward, and what others might you recommend. Also would you be able give (2) best choices in each:

Refining
Pipelines
Processing and or storage or other related services
Drilling

Also are there 'best times/seasons' to take positions or avoid taking positions in each industry?

Thanks

Q: Peter and Team,

There is a bond in the "high yield" category available through my broker for Vermillion Energy. The Maturity is Feb. 2016 and it is showing a coupon of 6.5% and an ask price of $101.850. I like the short duration and I think the yield looks good. Any thoughts and buying or not buying this bond? My aim is simply to buy the bond and hold to maturity to collect the yield and then get my principal returned.

Marc

Q: I know one can't time the bottom. In your opinion, are we near a bottom or at a point where you would be comfortable suggesting some buying opportunities in this sector, or would you advocate waiting longer?

Thanks for your advice.

Q: Your expert view on Kel's results today.Is it a entry point or add-on in light of the terrible sector( oil & gas down quite sharply today).Appreciate your normal excellent services and opinions.

Q: Painted Pony Petroleum reported November 11 and is down around $1 today. What did you think of their results and also the bought deal financing that has been over subscribed?

Q: Peter & Team, back to Delphi, I am afraid. We have been floundering to explain the precipitous share price decline over past 2 months. A BNN market call participant was asked about DEE recently. While a core hold of his, he was critical of management for not raising capital when prices were in the high's of $4 citing an over geared balance sheet. I wonder if we have been underestimating the adverse impact on the balance sheet of the Wapiti sale collapsing? Is the leverage all that bad? Debt to equity is $165 million on $255 million; debt to assets is $165 million on $518 million; net debt to annualized FFO is 1.9x (albeit higher than the Crescent Point "gold standard" of 1.1x); adjusted quarter EBT is $6.6 million (adjusting for property gains and financial contracts) about 2.3x interest cost- does seem a bit tight.

I also note projected gas price looks low at $3.80 per mcf and they have done a lousy job hedging where contract prices are on the $3.70 per mcf range.

Your comments, please. Thank you.

Q: Northern Offshore, NFSHF on the pink sheets has really dropped and the yield is very high right now. Do you think dividend will be cut? I was also wondering if the dividend as well as any possible capital gains would be exempt from any witholding tax if I bought it in my TFSA account. Would now be a good time to buy?

Q: Hello Peter and team,

The carnage in the energy sector continues, so it is time to see where my non-registered portfolio really is on its energy weighting. Please help me understand if I am really overweight in energy. I know it is a personal choice what percentage of a portfolio is exposed to energy, and the numbers being tossed around are 10% to 15% being ideal for most investors.

If I use the TMX sector categorization then I have 33% of my portfolio in energy. As of the close on Nov 13th the stocks are:

PPL (+52%)
IPL (+37%)
ENB (+29%)
WCP (+22%)
SCL (-3.5%)
CPG (-7.6%)
SGY (-10%)
TOU (-18%)

But your sector categorization is a little different. You consider PPL/IPL/ENB as utilities, and SCL seems to be a basic material. If you slice it that way my energy component is 16%, utilities 14%, and basic material at 2.8%

When you say a weighting in energy of around 10% to 15% is ideal, would you include the pipelines, and material stocks like SCL in that weighting?

Which one(s) would you trim or eliminate to reduce the energy weighting?


Paul J.

Q: Hi Peter & Co,
The energy sector (10%)of my RRIF portfolio contains BTE, CPG, TOU, VET and WCP. I intend to sell the first 2 sometime in the spring of 2015 and in the meantime to add now to the last 3 and take advantage of the lower prices.
Do I make sense to you?
Thanks,
Tony

Q: Good morning,
How did HWO's latest release look to you guys?
Thanks
John

Q: Now that WEQ has reported its latest results, with a further (19%) drop in its stock price, what is your assessment going forward? I'm down 40%, though have only a small holding. Am reluctant to sell based on one quarter's results, and have it in a registered account so couldn't claim a tax loss. Thanks.

Q: Peter In six weeks were into a new year and what a opportunity to move my surge shares into our tsfa and enjoy the tax free income.This is to me the silver lining of the low oil price .

Regards Stan