Investment Q&A

Q: Hi 5i,
AJG's GICS Sub-Industry classification is "Insurance Brokers".
Can you help suggest some Canadian listed Insurance Brokers stock that might be worth looking at for a TFSA and or NonReg account.

Q: Would you please list your top 10 companies that will face severe headwinds going into a recession / renewing debt at higher interest rates / margin erosion / no pricing power / unprofitable tech? - this was asked and you said the list would longer if it was asked the other way around, can I have the list of this question asked the other way around?

Q: Hi 5i,
A coupla questions, please deduct accordingly:

1. I've just received the following cautionary analysis regarding DIR.UN, and wonder if you would provide your comments on the points raised. I'm interested in acquiring DIR.UN but am concerned about the stated risks.

Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company (DIR.UN):
Major Risk
• Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow (8.6% operating cash flow to total debt).
Minor Risks
• Dividend is not well covered by earnings (dividend per share is over 12x earnings per share).
• Profit margins are more than 30% lower than last year (63% net profit margin).
• Shareholders have been diluted in the past year (3.1% increase in shares outstanding).


2. Could you also provide your analysis on BTB.UN based on the same criteria as applied to DIR.UN. I owned it years ago and enjoyed the yield, but became convinced it was too risky for my income portfolio. Now, years later, I see that while its unit price hasn't increased much, none of the fears materialized and had I held on it would have supplied decent income during that time. I'm considering re-entering.
Thanks 5i - much appreciated.
Peter

Q: What do you think of their results? Do you expect their Chinese affiliations will hurt them?

Thanks

Q: Good morning,

I know this might be an odd question, but hear me out.

What are your thoughts on taking a more dynamic approach with one's cash allocation in a portfolio to enhance yield? I know there are tax and trading cost implications with the following, but aside from these, what are your views on moving cash towards the end of each month, prior to the ex-dividend date, to a covered call fun like HHL, and then sell just after the ex-dividend date and keep in cash until the end of the next month. A fund like HHL appears to have "some" price volatility (of course), but also a yield approaching ~ 9%. It seems that by taking a more active approach to one's cash, and moving it in/out of HHL monthly to coincide with monthly cash distributions, might make some sense. So long of course as you are prepared for the fact that there is ample scope for capital gains/losses that you would otherwise not have if you were to hold just a GIC at ~ 5%.

Q: Following your answer to Dan about LSPD risks and potential, you say that there is a better place for capital in tech. What would be your top picks to replace LSPD? Thanks

Q: When deciding what to hold in a non-registered account, is it more important to maintain adequate exposure to the US with something like VUS, or to keep the dividend tax credit with a CDN option like CDZ or XEI?

Q: Hi 5i,
These holding are all in my RRSP, 12 months from retirement, I'm planning to sell 80% of TOI, LMN, NVDA (not now) waiting for "better time" if it's possible to catch it. Can I have 2 or 3 suggestions for income + a bit of growth.
thank you 5i for all your great work!!!

Q: Hi There,
I'm looking trim NVDA to add another solid US company to my TFSA with the procedes. Out of BRK.B and COST, which would be preference today?
Thank You

Q: WELL is trading at 4.25 today. What would be a fair price on evaluation and which one would be the preferred metric for a ballpark price that I can use for this and others.

Q: What, in your opinion, is your outlook for Lightspeed over the next three years? What level of risk would it be in conservative portfolio from 1-10. One being low risk.
Thanks as always.

Q: At this time do you think Ford is a buy, hold, or sell?
Are the employees expected to go on strike?
Thank you

Q: I know it is uncertain but when/where do you think this rate hike cycle will end ? Do you think the U.S. 10 Year Treasury Note will reach 5-6% ?
Thanks !

Q: Good Morning, I have some BNS which I purchased at $70.00. I'd like to add to it with the div rate being so attractive. I'm looking at a 3 year time horizon.

Has BNS ever cut its dividend? It did not appear to be the case when I looked over the past 40 years but please confirm if this is the case. Do you see any potential catalyst for it doing so? Thanks!

Q: For exposure to copper specifically and base metals generally, which of LUN or FCX would be the play for 2-3 year hold with growth and income in mind? Or, would you have another preference over these two? Also, could you suggest a preferred base metal etf to consider? Thx

Q: Do you think conditions for Nat Gas to go higher from here over next 1-2 years is likely?

I currently hold position in PEY as my only nat gas exposure (2% weighting). Looking to increase that exposure for income and growth, so wondering which of BIR or TOU you would choose to hold over 2-3 year timeframe? Or, would positions in both, or perhaps another nat gas stock, make sense alongside PEY? Thx

Q: Hi 5I,
Regarding El-Annons question on JEPI actual dividend rate, For future reference where does one find the actual dividend that these guys, and maybe others ETFs, actually payout,
I was fooled by the dividend rate posted on brokers site,, it also says 10.2 %
Thx

Q: Is there a software or spreadsheet template you can recommend to track stock portfolios as well as thougts or influences on the decision making process that was made to buy sell or hold?

Q: Hi 5i
With the markets ability to "price in fore casted earnings etc"...How to you expected BMO share prices and other banks to react to already expected reduced profit, increased loss provisions ect.
Banks have been on a steady decline coming into earnings....and wondering how much further they might go....
opinion...

Thx

Q: Could you compare DIR.UN and NXR.UN?