skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Retired dividend-income investor. Looking to add to my Consumer sector. I already own PBH, NWC, PLC. I am looking to add one more name, preferably with a dividend > 3%, although dividend security and dividend growth are more important than todays yield.

I have looked at CTC.A, LNF, MG, PRMW and QSR. I have researched each using both fundamentals (beta, P/E, P/BV, P/CF, P/S, ROE) and technicals (higher highs and higher lows, above 200mda), as well as current analyst estimates.

CTC.A comes across as just "ok". LNF has already had an incredible jump recently, so I am hesitant to buy at current prices. MG is not bad, but shows a ROE = -1%. PRMW looks good except for the ROE = -9%. QSR also looks good, showing a ROE = +29% (I can't find P/BV and P/CF anywhere). The bottom line is there doesn't appear to be a stand out obvious buy. I am leaning toward one of MG, PRMW or QSR.

Would you please rank all 5 companies from best to worst for the following (assuming a 3-5 year hold):
a) Dividend security
b) Capital gain potential
c) Total return potential

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated....Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on September 04, 2020
Q: Ifn the event we are seeing a shift from growth to value stocks could you identify five value stocks in Canada and the US that would make good investments at this time?

Thanks for your advice.
Read Answer Asked by Ken on August 12, 2020
Q: I bought shares in this company many years ago in my registered account primarily for income. Would you recommend that I continue to hold them? If not what would you replace it with assuming I want to have a company that provides a dividend yield of at least 3% ?
Read Answer Asked by Robert on July 28, 2020
Q: Retired, dividend-income investor. Looking to top up my Consumer sector holdings. Currently have PBH, NWC and PLC, which are more on the Staples side of things. I have a "full" weighting on each, relative to my assessment of their risk. Considering getting back into the Discretionary side...maybe rebuy LNF or MG. Could you run a screen of Canadian Discretionary stocks that pay > 3% dividend and overlay that with your ranking from best to worst...maybe the top 5 for me to consider.

Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on July 15, 2020
Q: Greetings 5i team,
I realize that these companies are not from the same sector but am looking at a hybrid recovery/mixed industries theme for the purchase of two or three of these companies.
How would you rank them in order of priority for a min 3 yr hold?
Thank you for your work
SP
P.S. Based on the feedback I have read on Portfolio Analytics, I have become more tempted to give it a try
Read Answer Asked by Steve on June 26, 2020
Q: What would be your 5 top economic recovery plays at this time, US and canada.
Can you rank Them in order of preference.
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Karim on June 23, 2020
Q: I have been following your advice of slow buying. For recovery plays with a one to 3 year timeframe (US election and possible normalcy returning post-COVID) is Canada or US better positioned? If all things are equal I favour Canada to avoid the nuisance of Norbert's Gambit etc. But if there is a compelling difference I'd like to use that to my advantage. I have some XIT, AC, SU and LNF and I am finding it hard to wait for the slow buying due to FOMO. How slow is slow enough? Thoughts appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Marilou on June 19, 2020
Q: Hey 5i team,

Bargains and value pickings seem to be getting slimmer. With a possible recovery or even a lockdown again...with a healthy balance sheet and product or business. Buy and hold longterm horizon.
What are your top recovery picks that you would step into today?
Read Answer Asked by AJ on June 18, 2020
Q: Hi Peter and Staff

At the time you added Leons to your income portfolio you obviously liked it "better" than Canadian Tire......I am not sure if it was because of the higher dividend. Looking at current price and possible recovery in price as well as dividend, how much better do you like one than the other and would you switch Canadian Tire for Leons looking at combined returns of dividends and stock price gains.
Thanks for all you do
Dennis
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on May 25, 2020
Q: Hello Peter and Team,
I currently have 50K ready to be invested in the market. I am looking for capital gain in the next 24 months. Above stocks have been hammered and did not fully recover yet. Agree that they are in different sectors, my portfolio is otherwise diversified.
Could you give me your expert opinion and prioritize your choices if any from the above.
I always value your opinion
Raouf
Read Answer Asked by Raoul on May 20, 2020
Q: Retired dividend-income investor. On the company page, Park Lawn in listed as Consumer-Cyclical. On the Monthly Income Portfolio report, it is listed as Consumer-Non-Cyclical. I would assume the latter is correct...one would think that burial services would be considered a staple. Question #1 = Please confirm your view as to the appropriate sector for PLC.

I am light on Consumers and have been wanting to top up this sector, but am thinking of staying away from the Discretionary sub-sector until things attempt to normalize over the next few months or quarters. I currently own PBH and NWC, both food companies. I used to own MG, LNF, AW and I will reconsider them again at some point, especially LNF. Question #2 = What are your thoughts about taking a new position in PLC ? I have read your March 25/20 report which concludes with a B+ rating. Some of the current metrics look ok (P/BV, P/CF, P/S, Beta, forward P/E). However, I calculate the payout ratio to be 175%...am I right? Is the dividend sustainable? I see a ROE of 1% from one source and 8% from a 2nd source. Comments please...thanks.

Q#3 = I actually need two consumer stocks that pay a dividend, ideally over 3.0%, but I'm willing to bring the threshold down to around 2.5%. Would you please rank PLC, LNF, AW, MG and any other consumer stock your filter system could identify for me to consider.

Thanks for your help...much appreciated...take 3 credits...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on April 14, 2020
Q: Hello 5i,
As a pensioner who requires dividends for my income, I have been looking at the above names to potentially add over the next year or so. It is my belief (uneducated guess) that it might take that long before we see any solid bottom and subsequent recovery begin.
In that vein, out of the above, how would you rank these based on the following:
1. Safety of company through a one year to 16 month recession.
2. Safety of the dividend through this same period.
3. Confidence in management team
4. Sector vulnerability
5. Value at current levels
6. Any other considerations, warnings or caveats for any of these ??
i.e. some of these have a decent 5i rating (B or higher), but the rating dates back to 2019, some as early as the summer.
And, finally, are there any suggestions you might have that are not on this list that deserve serious consideration in place of any of the above?
I am in no rush for an answer so take as long as you need to consider this question and deduct as many credits as you see fit - I should have enough to cover it. I hope that this question might also prove beneficial to other 5i members who rely on dividends for income.
All the best to everyone in this very trying and uncertain time!!! Be safe above all!!
Thanks to all at 5i!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on March 23, 2020
Q: Even though LNF had a good last quarter, I am having a hard time understanding why Leon's is holding up as well as it is. When you build a house or do major reno's, you need to buy or upgrade your furniture. However, if the economy and specifically the housing industry are slowing down (as they are now), your need for furniture should follow suit. Shouldn't Leon's stock price follow suit and drop off more? I must be missing something. Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 21, 2020
Q: Hi, I'm a retired, dividend-income investor. I took some profits and losses (to wipe out potential capital gains) over the last 5 weeks and am now planning on reinvesting the cash to top up some of my existing equities, up to my desired asset allocation. I want to leg in, in probably 3 waves over the next couple (?) of months, to top up ZWC, AD, AQN, AW, BNS, BCE, LNF, NWC, RY, TRP, WSP.

Can you please indicate which of the above equities you would allocate into which wave (in other words, does it look like the equity is "ready" for an investment OR should I continue to wait for a while)...or not at all (not worth any further investment).

Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 18, 2020
Q: Retired, conservative dividend-income investor with a "buy-and-hold & trim-add around a core position" strategy. At times like these, I take a fresh look at my holdings and ask two key questions. #1 = are there any of my equity holdings that have alarm bells going off? #2 = how safe are the dividends (knowing that no dividend is 100% secure)? The portfolio capital may rise or fall, but it is the continuation of the dividend that is more important.

For asset allocation purposes related to individual stocks (as opposed to sector allocations), I use the following:
5% targets = AQN, BCE, BNS, PBH, RY, TRP, WSP
4% targets = AD, AW, CSH, NWC
2% targets = LNF, MG, NTR
ETF targets = roughly 3-7%

Q#1 = are there any of these equities that you hear alarm bells?
Q#2 = are there any of these equities where you foresee dividend risk?
Q#3 = any thoughts on how I have my asset allocations set up (knowing it is a very personal decision?

Take a bunch of credits. Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 06, 2020
Q: GC is a very big disappointment since purchase @ $55.96 some time ago($57 is 1 yr H) with problems like money laundry in B.C. & muted outlook despite some good Qs like today's.Today Canaccord upgraded to $59 from $58 with a Buy after It beat
estimated Rev & Eps. Estimated that casino Pickering will completed by end of Q1 & hotel & entertainment venue by Dec31 It hurts while waiting with no dividend despite buy back by GC with no meaningful appreciation in price.Is there a better stock to replace it,if desired.Txs for u usual great services & views
Read Answer Asked by Peter on March 05, 2020