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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: Bonjour, I hold BPO.PR.J shares and part of my holding was exchanged for BPS.PR.B shares. Do you think that this is a good deal for holders of the initial shares J shares?
Thanks
Ronald
Read Answer Asked by Ronald on June 18, 2014
Q: I am considering to buy BPO.Pr.l and/or EFN.Pr.c. Like to have your comment. Also, will an eventual rate increase harm Preferreds and convertible debentures?
Thank you. Joseph
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on June 17, 2014
Q: IBI.BB

I own some IBI 7% Debentures that are coming due in December 2014. IBI has made an offer to extend the maturity date to 2019 and they haveattached 2 options with a yes vote:

"Option A" Debentureholders receive a consent fee, consisting of an unsecured, non-convertible promissory note equal to $195.65 per $1,000 principal amount of Debentures, payable December 31, 2016 and bearing interest at the rate of 7.0% per annum and payable on maturity; or

"Option B" Debentureholders receive a consent fee, consisting of an unsecured, non-convertible promissory note equal to $86.96 per $1,000 principal amount of Debentures, payable December 31, 2016 and bearing interest at the rate of 7.0% per annum and payable on maturity and the reduction of the conversion price for the Debentures to $5.00 per common share from $19.17 per common share.

The no voters would only get the changed conversion price.

Which option would you suggest, or would you suggest selling it. It's value presently is only about 1% of my RRSP portfolio.
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on June 12, 2014
Q: We currently have approx $20,000 GIC maturing that we wish to reinvest. The current yield on GIC's is very low and we are reluctant to put this money back in GICs. However in our portfolio we consider this $20,000 to be part of our "SAFE" money. We are considering preferred shares for their higher return and relative safety if we buy from a "blue" chip company.

Could you give me the name of 3 preferred shares that you feel confident in recommending. We are happy to hold these for long term. If you have any other suggestion for a very safe investment we would be happy to hear that as well.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Vicki on June 09, 2014
Q: Good morning 5I team!
I start my day with your good advice. You are great educators!
I hold a position in AIF.DB.A in a portfolio that consists mostly of stocks in your model portfolio. AIF.DB.A has done very well for me, and I wonder if I should let it run or take some profit. Thank you.
Ellen
Read Answer Asked by Ellen on June 06, 2014
Q: BPO.PR
Hi There
I hold approx equal amounts of the L and R series (~1.5% of each).I am thinking of selling R and buying more L with the proceeds, for higher current and reset yields and shorter time to reset.
Am I missing something, as the yields appear not to be what you might expect?
Thanks as always
Read Answer Asked by David on June 05, 2014
Q: Comment to Shirley re: the new EFN preferred share issue: If you are interested in this new issue, I strongly suggest that you consider instead a "market purchase" of EFN.PR.C, which was issued a few months ago, and offers both a better (+0.1%) coupon rate and a higher (9bp) reset rate, while obviously having an identical credit quality and nearly the same reset date (a few months earlier). Furthermore, EFN.PR.C is about to go "ex-dividend", and so will from the start give an additional nearly 41 cent advantage over the new EFN issue. At the moment I'm writing this, EFN.PR.C is trading at $25.00.
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on June 04, 2014
Q: Hello Fivei Team

As a relatively new suscriber I have found the site very useful and a fresh perspective.
My question is a round real return bond funds. I have held the TD RR bond fund for several years. Last years talk of tapering and interest rate bump pulled them back pulled them back about 10%. YTD on the same fund is up 8.4% with little inflation although the ten year bond has come down since last year.
Can you explain the correlation here as I have always understood these RR's do well in more inflationary times.

Thanks
Jerry
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on May 31, 2014
Q: In response to John about information on preferred shares, I would suggest prefinfo.com, a free site by J. Hymas who also has a fee-based pfd share information service. I don't think this site lists everything out there, but the basic info for many pfd shares is listed.
Read Answer Asked by grant on May 29, 2014
Q: I have question about preferred shares. I noticed anew issue Brookfield Asset Management Inc. 4.50% Rate Reset Preference Shares, Series 4o. They cost $25. I understand one would get the interest rate for 5 years. But is the principal safe??? Can the principal increase decrease, and under what circumstances??? If ordinary shares go up or down do these shares follow suit. I don't understand these so your help in educating me about this type of product is appreciated.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Steve on May 27, 2014
Q: In my RRIF I am holding the First Asset Convertible Debenture Fund (DCD.UN) which trades at a discount to NAV and yields about 7.4%. It seems to be structured on derivatives - a forward agreement with a bank - a setup that is different from that of CVD, though the past performance looks similar. CVD trades at a premium to NAV and has a lower yield but I wonder if it is safer overall and in your opinion would you recommend a switch? Thanks, J.
Read Answer Asked by Jeff on May 27, 2014
Q: Hi 5i: This comment/question relates to the many questions asked recently about CBO, with particular reference to Rob Carrick's comments. In March, Manfred asked about the disparity between CBO's indicated yield of about 4% and the best corporate bond yield that he could find (2.5%). On May 20 Alayne asked about Carrick's article that claims that the indicated yields badly overestimate the actual yields. Carrick refers to the "yield to maturity", and in your response you said that the point "about the GIC ladder" is valid (namely that an investor is as well off or better with a GIC ladder in place of CBO). These comments still puzzle me. For the last 8 months (for example), the CBO price has been $19.8 +/- $0.1, and the indicated yield has remained above 4%. Thus over this period, at least, Carrick's point about GIC ladders has been false. The dividend is paid monthly and I have received it - no question. The emphasis on yield to maturity seems to me misplaced, at least to a degree. The response you got from the CBO people (in response to John's question) stated that they sell all bonds once they get within a year of maturity. Thus for short term bonds the YTM is not the relevant comparison; you would need to know the "yield to maturity minus one year". The difference between this and YTM could be considerable for a two year bond, for example. I'd appreciate your comments - this whole issue has puzzled me for a while.
Read Answer Asked by Roland on May 26, 2014
Q: Hello 5i
Thanks for the great responses. I am having trouble finding a post where you answered questions on fixed income, suggesting which bond etf’s you would use at the moment, both in the American and Canadian market. I cannot find it through the symbol search, as it is a general category question. I wonder if you could point me to that post or, sorry about the repetition, let me know once again what you would choose for fixed income at the moment.
thanks
Read Answer Asked by joseph on May 26, 2014
Q: Re: FTS.IR
I am an owner of FTS and have been quite interested in following the merger/take over of UNS. I have been part of other take overs/buyouts with other companies but can't figure out why the .IR units are pounding so much higher. I was hoping you would be able to tell me what is happening with these .IR units and why they are gaining so much. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Keith on May 23, 2014
Q: I would appreciate your comments on the new Canexus Convertible Debenture. Interest at 6.5% is attractive as long as the company still has a viable future.
Read Answer Asked by David on May 22, 2014
Q: There have been exchanges of information on BCE floating rate pfd's and D was suggested as a pure floater, suitable for one of my needs. BCE has information on their pfds in chart form. In that form, under pfd D, the following appears under "Divedend Terms". (D is under the AD heading)

Until March 1, 2018, series AD shareholders are entitled to receive monthly, floating adjustable cash dividends computed in accordance with the terms and conditions attached to such shares.

With this wealth of information in mind, I went to the 2013 annual report for enlightenment. Here's the clarifying quote.

Holders of series S,Y,AB,AD,AE,AN and AT are entitled to floating, adjustable cumulative monthly dividends. The floating dividend on these shares is calculated every month, as set out in BCE's articles of amalgamation, as amended.

Well, that's certainly worth knowing. I wouldn't want to receive a dividend which was calculated under any old terms.

Perhaps you folks could help. I only want to know what happens to the BCE D's on March 1, 2018 and subsequently, if mentioned.

Thanks. Tim......

Read Answer Asked by Tim on May 15, 2014
Q: Hi, I hold Bank of America (BAC) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Since MS has done so much better than BAC, I am thinking of selling BAC and buying MS.PR A. Your thoughts? And thanks for this fantastic bank of advice--my daily treat!
Read Answer Asked by Elaine or Gerry on May 14, 2014