Investment Q&A

Q: Could I have your best single selection for both US and Canada for a conservative investor in these 7 sectors - energy, global defence, cyber, pipelines, utilities, consumer staples and defensive growth within software tech. Thank you for the help.

Q: If you were to sell any of the above, list in order your top 5 or 6. Or would you keep the portfolio as is for next 3 years.
Roy

Q: Whats your best
Picks today in consumer discretionary and consumer cyclical that have both growth potential and pay dividend for a registered account?
Thx

Q: Hi 5i Team - Could you provide two or three top picks in each of the following sectors: Real Estate, Consumer Staples, Financial, Industrial. Any market cap is fine but with a focus on mid cap. Also with a focus on Canadian Equities.
Thanks.

Q: What would be your current top 5 buys in the US and Canada? Thanks

Q: what are your top three picks ,us and cdn, for consumer staples thanks

Q: Can you provide a list of 10 US and 10 Canadian stocks that you think have the highest conviction/potential to double from current prices over next 12 months or so. Market cap or risk is not a factor. Thanks

Q: For a long-term hold, would you advise selling SIS, taking a tax hit, and buying PBH? Looking for total return, dividend + long term capital gains. Would this swap high grade the portfolio?

Thanks.

Q: In regards to an earlier answer, which stock(s) do you believe is a better alternative than SIS? Same sector or otherwise? Risk is not an issue.

Thanks for your service.

Q: This is a follow-up to our question from last week (see: https://www.5iresearch.ca/questions/140708).

Based on your response that nothing in the list gives you much cause for concern, we would understand this to imply none of the 30 stocks would be considered a "sell" today.

Please divide the 30 stocks into a pair of ranked (best to worst) lists, one of "buys" and the other of "holds". As well, for each of the "holds" indicate the principal rationale for caution.

Q: I'm looking to start a position in 2 or 3 of these companies. It would be in a TFSA. I already have 12 stock positions from your Balanced Equity portfolio in RRSP accounts.

Q: About 1 year ago we created an equal-weighted 'balanced' portfolio of 30 Canadian companies in a non-registered account. Most were chosen from companies either covered by a 5i research report or included in a 5i model portfolio. The remainder were chosen, based on the 5i Q&A section, from what appear to be 5i sector favourites. All purchases are made with the intent to be long-term holds (10+ years). As well, we intend to increase our investments over the next 2-3 years, and then adjust over time as needed. Currently the amount invested represents ~40% of the eventual total.

Although a goal is to keep the portfolio roughly equal weighted, of the 30 companies, the following 14 were acquired in 3 purchases (full position) and currently have weights in the 2.31% (SHOP) to 5.00% (ATA) range for an average of 3.71%: CSU, MG, GSY, WSP, LNF, ATD, ATA, SLF, BAM.A, BIPC, FTS, DOO, SHOP and TFII. The remainder were acquired in 2 purchases (2/3 position) and currently have weights in the 1.98% (BEPC) to 3.17% (TCN) range for an average of 2.56%. So, overall, the weightings currently range from ~2% to ~5%.

Over the next 6 months we will invest another ~25% of the eventual total. As we make additional purchases, we need to strike a balance between keeping the weights roughly equal while taking advantage of market opportunities. Please provide some broad guidance/wisdom.

Of the 30 companies in the portfolio, which 10 would you have the highest conviction in today? Please rank them.

Are there any of the 30 that you might consider as candidates to be replaced because there are better options, and if so, what replacements would you suggest and why (disregard tax considerations)?

What additional 3 Canadian companies might you consider adding to the portfolio and why?

As always, thanks for the great service!

Q: I'm going to make RSP contributions (for myself and husband) in kind this year from a margin/cash account. Looking for the best candidates. I'd have to report a CG on GSY (376%)or ATD.b (394%) or KXS (210%).
Alternatively, CG on PBH and MG are 18% and 65% respectively.

What stocks (in order of preference) would be good to transfer to RSP? in your wise opinion

Thanks!!!

Q: Retired, dividend-income investor who usually has ALL of my cash at work. I am currrently sitting on roughly 2.5% cash and am considering topping up the above holdings to achieve my asset allocation targets.

Q#1 = Assuming a diversified portfolio, if I wanted to deploy my remaining minor amount of cash, in what order would you spend it and why?

My view is as follows:
First = PBH and WSP (good value right now = fundamentals and technicals look good, if you ignore the death crosses).
Second = ZRE (should do ok in a rising rate environment?).
Third = XIT (wait until at least the first interest rate increase has happened?).
Last = ADW.A (may need another quarter or two to get past the Covid impact).

Q#2 = or should I continue to sit on this cash if you think there are better opportunities coming in the future. It's not as if this minor amount of $ is going to make a huge impact on future performance.

Thanks...Steve

Q: Of the above mentioned stocks, would you please list in order of first to last which would you recommend today. Also a brief explanation as to why you chose the first and the last. Thanks … Cal

Q: I hold these 8 equities in one part of my portfolio. I am not sure if it makes a difference, I am up on some and down on others.

The approximate weight and the gain / loss is shown for each. ATZ (3%, +17%); CNR (4%, -7%); CM (4%, +8%); Acuity Ads (0.5%, - 37%); MG (4%; - 11%) RY (6% + 5.5%).

I wish to free up about 2% of the portfolio for a cash requirement. Taxes are not an issue.

Two questions: First, if you were me, which / what would you sell to free up some cash? Second, is there anything here that should be let go because it is time to move on from it? I know AT is too small to make much impact but I am inclined to continue to hold it, for a potential bounce. Many thanks

Q: Can I please have your top 5 US and Cdn consumer non cyclical stock choices ?

Q: Hi...do you put much stock in the "death cross"? I see the 50mda has dropped below the 200mda for each of PBH, WSP and XIT (ya, I know technicals aren't as reliable when applied to ETFs). What is your opinion on both the "golden cross" and the "death cross"? Are either or both reliable?

I trimmed all three on the way up (in keeping with my asset allocation target ranges). I have already added a bit to XIT, with more planned next month. I was considering adding to PBH and WSP once things settle down in a week or two.

Your thoughts?

Thanks...Steve

Q: I held PBH for years, and sold a few months ago when it was just over $130, buying ATD with the proceeds, as I felt ATD was a bargain at the time (around $47 or so). The trade ended up working out, even though I don't often attempt to buy and sell equities based exclusively upon momentum and other non-income-related metrics: I tell everyone I am a lousy trader, but somewhat decent investor.

In any event, PBH has retreated to just under $122 as I am composing this query, while ATD has performed decently (up about 10% from purchase price). I would like to know your thoughts on which company you think will perform better over the next two years or so, and if it would make sense to pivot back towards PBH, or stay with ATD, if that company can be expected to work out better between the two options. If these two companies can be reasonably expected to perform similarly, I would deem standing pat to probably be the more prudent option.

As always, I appreciate your insights and I look foreard to your reply.

Q: What are currently your two favourite consumer staple companies (either US or Can)?

Thx as always for terrific service