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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: I would like to put about 50% of my portfolio into safe, higher yielding (10%+) Canadian focused ETF's or Mutual Funds, and adjust my holdings as needed going forward based on sector performance. I feel that both Banks & Utilities are nearing lows and that a further correction may occur in the general market due to tax loss selling or possibly one more rate hike. Do you feel that the mix of ETF's listed provide a safe way to invest with the goals indicated? What % for each, as part of the 50%, would you recommend as a holding, and how would they be treated for tax purposes? Thanks for the great service and please use as many credits as necessary.
Read Answer Asked by Will on October 25, 2023
Q: From what I understand from 5i - HCAL should move up much faster than HMAX and ZWU should move up faster than UMAX when the market begins its recovery. Is this a correct analogy? Thx James
Read Answer Asked by JAMES on October 20, 2023
Q: My TD Waterhouse account used to show a calculated yield based on the current price of UMAX and HMAX but for some reason shows no yield for UMAX and 10.8% for HMAX now ...... Yahoo Finance isn't much better . And the Hamilton website shows 13% and 15.5% no matter what the ETF price is ..... So the first question is what is the calculated yield for both at today's price ? And second what would be the unit price for my targeted entry point of both 14% and 14.5% for UMAX { still making up my mind on UMAX entry price } .... and 16.5% for HMAX ? With rising rates hurting utlities and banks in the doghouse I'm inclined to think I might get those entry points .....
Read Answer Asked by Garth on October 04, 2023
Q: I know that you've answered a lot of questions on HMAX lately and I have read all of the answers but I still have some questions as I don't fully understand the risk of the product. Please take as many credits as you need to answer:

1. Usually high yield means higher risk, but I'm assuming because covered calls are being used to generate this income that this statement doesn't apply? Can you confirm explain?

2. How risky is this compared to an equity ETF? Higher or lower risk?

3. Is there any long term scenario where this would underperform cash?

4. Generally what would be a safe portfolio weight for this type of product?

Read Answer Asked by Pamela on September 25, 2023
Q: I am at a point in my life where I am looking to my investments more for income than growth. My question concerns how you might incorporate a strategy that are includes "dividend" stocks that pay a low yield. eg HD, TRI, CN etc. Assuming you wish to obtain an overall yield of 4% - 5% from your portfolio (in order to satisfy RRIF requirements while maintaining some growth) I would think it best not to load up only on high yield stocks and continue maintain a balanced portfolio. To achieve the necessary income should one invest in low dividend payers and sell a portion of the low yield dividend payers annually in order to achieve the be needed income; go a bit overweight on high yield equities in order to juice the income; or just forget about balancing the portfolio?

Any thought you have would be greatly welcomed.

Appreciate the insight.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on September 14, 2023
Q: Just noticed that management fee of HDIV is 0.65, but MER is 2.39. Management fee for HMAX and UMAX is 0.65, but MERs are unstated presumably because it's early days. Do you expect that the MERs of HMAX and UMAX will be over 2%?
Read Answer Asked by Roderick on July 19, 2023
Q: A retired colleague in his early 80s is selling his income properties and wishing to invest the proceeds in a manner that will produce solid income with little risk. He is taken with HMAX and its 13% plus dividend. What are your thoughts on HMAX given his circumstances? What is the maximum percentage of his portfolio might you suggest he invest in HMAX? And what other Canadian or US ETFs with would you suggest he consider given his age/need for income? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Maureen on May 09, 2023
Q: Doing a little research with Google I found that the TSX has had an average annual return of 7.94% over the 50 year period of 1971 to 2021 . { Please confirm or correct that number ? } I know 5I doesn't " like " to give portfolio weightings but I have in the past seen you comfortable up to 15% for some ETF's . Would HMAX be one of them ? It looks to me like I can have my cake and eat it too as it's dividend is superior to that of the average annual return of the TSX . Not quite, but close to double ......

Also I have always wondered just how much difference in performance { percentage } there would be between these three products { ZEB. ZWB out of the money calls, and HMAX in the money calls } . In the case of a 10% correction in the financial sector and also in the case of a 10% rise in the financials. Please speculate on what you would expect the return percentage for each . { you will have to speculate for HMAX because of its short history and supposed lack of volatility due to the use of in the money calls } This will help me grasp what to add or subtract to that 14% dividend for HMAX under the two scenarios ......
Read Answer Asked by Garth on May 03, 2023
Q: Dear 5i team.

There have been a few questions lately on HMAX vs ZWB and all the responses thus far discuss the upside potential and difference in strategy. What are the downside risks of these two aproaches to their covered call strategies? Has the recent volitility in Banks given us any insights into this part of the question, or are we still in speculate on outcomes mode. If the latter, please provide some educated speculation on impact of continued downward draft in Bank equity prices.

Thanks for your insights.

Arthur.
Read Answer Asked by Arthur on March 31, 2023