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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: ECN.PR.A will reset Dec. 31/21 at 5.44% over the yield on 5 yr Goverment of Canada bonds , but not less than 6.5%.
On a total return I’m down 14.7% given the current price of $14.40. The current yield is 11.25%. It makes up 7% of my portfolio.
I’m considering averaging down to 10% of my portfolio.
My thinking is that with the very low interest rates it will make more sense for the preferred to be redeemed, since they will be able to raise funds at a lower rate in the market. My second thought is that looking forward to 2021 interest rates could be on the rise. Third the preferred is trading a huge discount .
Is there any overriding reason not to do this I.e. value of underlying shares ECN Common???
Read Answer Asked by Roy on April 09, 2020
Q: I’m confused. I understand that there is risk to prefer chairs in that they rank behind balance but I had of common stock. Therefore the strength of the company affects the strength of the preferred chair. I also understand that with low interest rates the rate reset or perpetual preferreds have had their values affected. What I don’t understand is the minimum rate resets. There are strong companies that have minimum rate resets that will reset at 5+ percent guaranteed in the next few years. Why are these not trading at higher prices.Many of them are trading at 40% of their issue price. Please help me address my confusion.
Read Answer Asked by Bryan on April 08, 2020
Q: Given the current economic situation, are preferred shares a good buy? They are all down in price and their dividends are up to 6 to 8%. I understand their upside is less than the common shares, but at the same time because they take priority over the common shares, the dividend and capital is safer than the common shares. I'm thinking of these as an alternative to a bond ETF, because the preferred prices have declined more. What are your thoughts? Is it better to buy individual shares or an ETF? Any ETF recommendations?
Read Answer Asked by Jack on April 07, 2020
Q: Are Perpetual Preferred Shares a reasonable investment at this time? Please suggest 2or3 that you may think are OK.
Read Answer Asked by OREST on April 06, 2020
Q: I have owned this particular preferred share for 5 years now and that has just recently been renewed and with the recent drop in the market and overall poor performance and using your crystal ball would you continue to hold or just sell and move on. Please do not take into consideration a capital gain loss or interest payment
Read Answer Asked by Marcel on March 31, 2020
Q: Hello 5i Team

I found this site recently, it appears to have a substantial amount of information on Canadian preferred shares. It appears to be a recently created website in the last four months. Share with fellow members if appropriate.

canadianpreferredshares.ca/

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 31, 2020
Q: I have few questions regarding preferred shares. Many solid companies ''before covid19'' have preferred shares over 8% div. If that rate is OK for me for long term even without price appreciation, how safe will you quote them in general? What is the risk associated with that investment? Will you favor ''retractable'', ''rate-reset'', ''perpetual'', ''fixed-floating'' or ''floating rate''? How to find the term of a specific share?
Thanks a lot
Read Answer Asked by Daniel on March 25, 2020
Q: A subscriber named Peter asked for your opinion on GMP.PR.B preferred stock on March 17, but you didn't really answer his question. Instead, you commented on the common stock. Please don't do this again as I am NOT interested in the common stock. I am interested in the preferred stock, which is now down $3 from when Peter asked his question. I know this is a lower-rated pref, but surely the current discount is overdone?

Clearly, in the current virus-riddled economic environment, GMP will have to cut the dividend on its common stock. However, they cut the common dividend to zero a few years ago, but kept paying the preferred dividend. What is your opinion on the coverage for the preferred dividend? Would you recommend that preferred stockholders sit tight, buy more, or sell?

The rate resets on March 31, 2021 at 2.89% above 5 year Canada bonds. Even if the yield on 5 year government bonds goes to zero they'll pay a 2.89% x $25 face value = $0.7225 annual dividend. This seems attractive to me, or am I not properly understanding the yield calculation?
Read Answer Asked by David on March 25, 2020
Q: These preferred shares pay a dividend equal to $25 face value x prime rate. The issuers, BCE and BAM, are both blue-chip companies, so the dividends are presumable well-covered. However, the prices of these preferred shares have been hammered, falling in lock-step with interest rates. To me, the sell-off seems to be overdone, perhaps because they are so thinly traded. What is your view on these variable rate preferred shares as a buy and hold investment for a retiree living on investment income? What do you think prime rate will settle out at once the pandemic panic is over, say a year from now?
Read Answer Asked by David on March 25, 2020
Q: Close to retiring and have to live off my investments, which today is 100% equities. Bonds are not paying anything. Would it be a good idea to sell 50% of equities and buy Prefered shares, many having12% yield? Understanding if not recalled hold forever and pass on to my estate. How about !00% preferred for income.?
Thanks
Cec
Read Answer Asked by Cecil on March 23, 2020
Q: I am a buy and hold investor with 5 to 10 years of time horizon
I have roughly 7.5% of my portfolio in a 8 different preferred shares. They are in the order of their weights: PWF.PR.F, EFN.PR.I, ENB.PF.I, TRP.PR.K, ALA.PR.K, GWO.PR.M, FFH.PR.M, ENB.PR.A. All except one (FFH.PR.M) are either Perpetual or Minimum rate reset preferred. Minimum divided rate at reset or the current rate for perpetual on the face value is from 4.76% to 5.8%. In the last few weeks, their prices have dropped considerably. I am using preferred as part of my Fixed income. Because they are perpetual or Minimum rate reset, I expected them to be much more stable or even appreciate with the cut in the the interest rate. What is your advise under the current circumstance. My guess is that their dividend is at risk and that’s why they have dropped? As you can see they all have dividend paying common shares. What is your advice? Should I sell some of them and if so which ones?
Read Answer Asked by Naren on March 23, 2020
Q: Hi Peter & 5i,
These are preferred minimum rate reset shares. Both have a minimum reset at 4.90%. Never to be reset at below this rate.
My questions:
1. If there is a minimum rate reset, investors are not concerned about falling rates (because falling rates don't affect these) but they are concerned about the ability of TC and PPL to pay the future dividends.
2. In your opinion should investors be concerned about the ability to pay the preferred share dividends? (There are lots of common share dividends that would be cut before the preferred share dividends).
Thank you for your answer and calmness during these unforseen times.
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on March 20, 2020
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