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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: Greetings 5i,

I was reading an article on MorningStar regarding TDs recently launched ETF based "Portfolio" Mutual funds all with "low MERs" of 0.08%. I was interested in your thoughts on these funds, positives and negatives, confirmation of MERs, as well as where I would be able to find a list of each funds holding as information seems a little sparse.

(http://cawidgets.morningstar.ca/ArticleTemplate/ArticleGL.aspx?culture=en-CA&id=799062)

TDB3175
TDB3176
TDB3177
TDB3178

Cheers!
Read Answer Asked by Duane on March 30, 2017
Q: Hi,

When holding various ETF's in your portfolio, should you account for the sector weighting within the ETF towards your sector allocation of your total portfolio? For example, VDY, sector weighting is tilted mostly 62% financials and 21% energy. So lets say VDY is 10% of your portfolio, would you add 6.2% of this towards financials, 2.1% energy, etc..?? I see that RY, TD, and BNS make up the top three holdings, so would you still even consider buying individual financial stocks if this allocation made up your full financial sector weight in your portfolio?

I understand that for specific sector ETF's, like ZUH that focus on healthcare or ZBK that focus on financials, you can count 100% towards that sector allocation in your portfolio. I'm just wondering if I should be doing this with those ETF's that hold more unequal sector weights within the ETF and how to account for those so I'm not too overweight in a specific sector in my portfolio. And how about those ETF's like VCN, where you have four sectors that make up 80% of the weight. Am I overthinking this?

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on March 30, 2017
Q: hello 5i:
2 questions.

I am interested in the fund above, and the question asked by Robert yesterday. One thing I can't quite understand: how is the fund generating a (greater than) 6% return. How is the fund able to do this with present interest rates? Through leverage?

Could you give me your opinion on the CEF WEC (Western Asset Premier Bond Fund), and would you consider this a viable holding in a TFSA?
thanks
Paul
Read Answer Asked by Paul on March 30, 2017
Q: Over the years I have tried to compare myself to indices to determine if my portfolio performance compares favourably. Basically if it does not I always consider 'firing' myself. Your service has allowed me to increase my overall performance I believe and stay 'employed'. Came across a service (from article in National Post) regarding a free service called ARC Private Client Indices. It would appear to provide a real nice comparison indices based on my portfolio makeup. Are you aware of this and do you have any comments on it?
Read Answer Asked by Greg on March 30, 2017
Q: Hello 5I
Could you please rank the following aspects of an equity in order of importance to yourselves. I know that these lists are a personal biased ranking but it gives me insight into how you perceive a stock when you need to buy or sell. Can you assume for the list that you are adding to a balanced portfolio and if you need to use an example, could it be from the Balanced Equity Portfolio. Would the list change between buying and selling?
Growth
Valuation
Cash flow as part of the valuation
Debt as part of the valuation
Management
Momentum
Sector Momentum
Recent Events
Past Performance/Execution
Dividends
Dividend Increases(History of)
Currency
Politics
Anything else
When I look at a marijuana stock I think this is impossible for me to purchase due to valuation. Am I wrong? I thought the same thing about Teck Resources when it was $6/share. I know that these stocks are not in your portfolios but I am hoping to apply your thoughts to stocks within your portfolios.
Thank You
Jeremy


Read Answer Asked by Jeremy on March 29, 2017
Q: Hello 5I Team. I'm wondering if you may be able to recommend a forum or venue for a business start up to seek (private) equity investment. I've taken a more active roll with a company that will be mining materials for use in cement (an infrastructure investment much like a small Vulcan Materials Co.). I've registered with FundingPost and am using some 'guerilla tactics' but would appreciate any advice, or the advice of 5I members.
Thanks,
Brian
Read Answer Asked by Brian on March 29, 2017
Q: Liquidity. As general rule regarding liquidity, I've tried to ensure that the number of shares held do not exceed 10% of the average daily trading volume. For a sizeable 20-30 stock portfolio this eliminates many thinly traded stocks including some in the Model portfolios.
I would appreciate your comments on liquidity considerations when buying/selling a security?
And, is it different for ETF's. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Lloyd on March 29, 2017
Q: Looking to add another full position to each TFSA. Could you recommend a stock for each. Also, would you change any of these stocks, if so, what would they be changed to?
JAMES TFSA: CRH 26%, ECN 6.52%, EFC 11.39%, GUD 10%, PHO 12%, PBH 10.76%, SIS 16.61%, TOY 5%

LORETTA TFSA: GSY 14.67% KXS 15.41%, MTY 15.82%, SIS 18.91%, SHOP 15.82%, WCP 13.77%, TOY 5.58%

Much appreciated.

Read Answer Asked by James on March 29, 2017
Q: Hello,
This is a question more about portfolio management than a specific stock. I need to make a fairly large purchase soon and I have been debating about taking the money out of my TFSA, which thanks to 5I has done amazingly well, ( i would immediately buy the stocks sold in the TFSA in my RIF, thus not losing out on future gains). Better start another sentence :).

Or, use the opportunity to prune my portfolio. I do have too many stocks and would be glad of an opportunity for pruning. But, the ones I would prune have a capital gain of at least seventy per cent. Because I have a number of smaller positions in many cases this comes to only ten or fifteen thousand dollars per stock.

Or, should I just let them ride and live with the chaos?

thanks for any help
Read Answer Asked by joseph on March 29, 2017
Q: Preference shares
Following your reply, I conclude that, even on a reset date, preference shares may not trade at face value. Therefore, there would be no point in time when an investor is assured of full repayment of capital. Why then would these shares ever be suitable for investor adverse to interest rate risk? The only exception would be the investor willing to hold the shares for an unknown period until the shares are worth more than face value or the issuer decides to redeem them. Also, I wonder whether investors generally understand that, if they pay more than face value for the shares, the dividends represent in part a repyment in capital. Preference shares appear to have an undeserved allure, suitable only for investors willing to gamble with interest rates (perhaps having a trading strategy) or remain invested for an unknow period of time. Perhaps they should generally thought of as speculative and/or suitable only for sophisticated investors. I question whether even investment advisors understand this instrument well, particularly the range of attributes among issues.
Read Answer Asked by Carl on March 28, 2017
Q: Recently we were surprised to see that my 86 year old mother in law sold an etf and purchased Manulife simplicity portfolio FE (568). I say surprised as the broker is well aware to discuss financial changes to her account with my husband and ETFs were specifically chosen to avoid buying mutual funds. What can you tell me about this fund and does it generate monthly income. It looks like the broker is selling shares every month and sending her a cheque. I do not see any info around fees (which I thought had to be disclosed under the new rules) on her monthly statement. My husband is meeting with the broker so any info you can provide or questions he should ask would be appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Maggie on March 28, 2017
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