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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 am Canadian citizen/resident who owns both BEP.UN:CA and BIP.UN:CA within my TFSA (at TD-Waterhouse). After receiving the new shares related to both of these holdings, should I keep all four securities within the TFSA, or should I consolidate into one of the other type of security (and if so which one)? (I don't mind paying the transaction fees if this helps simplify things.) Also, I currently hold both positions within the Canadian dollar portion of my TFSA, but I can move these over to the U.S. dollar side of my TFSA, if this makes more sense to you, in advance of these spinoffs.

Ted
Read Answer Asked by Ted on November 19, 2019
Q: 7:02 AM 11/14/2019

There seems to be a lot of confusion. Which of BEP, BIP, BPY are going to be relocated to Toronto and have the 5 for 4 "Stock Split"? Any idea yet of the Ex-Dividend Dates?
Thank you......... Paul K
Read Answer Asked by Paul on November 14, 2019
Q: BEP and BIP have each grown to just over 9% of my portfolio. That’s great, but I’m in a quandary. With other stocks I might be tempted to trim and reinvest, but there seems to be momentum here and the spin out sounds interesting. What say you? Trim and reinvest? If trim, then back down to 5% each?

Then.... where to reinvest? I’m well diversified and would look for income stocks with some growth potential. Mainly, I’d want something that is a good replacement for the potential and stability of Brookfield. Perhaps a different Brookfield? Perhaps park it for the potential to pick something sold for a tax loss?
Read Answer Asked by Danny on November 14, 2019
Q: Hello 5i Team
Further to previous comments this morning and apologies for the length.

Comments on the Brookfield family of companies, US $ dividends and tax implications.

From the Brookfield website:
Please note that the quarterly dividend payable on Brookfield's Class A Limited Voting Shares is declared in U.S. dollars. Registered shareholders who are U.S. residents receive their dividends in U.S. dollars, unless they request the Cdn. dollar equivalent. Registered shareholders who are Canadian residents receive their dividends in the Cdn. dollar equivalent, unless they request to receive dividends in U.S. dollars. Prior to the September 30, 2016 payment date, the Canadian dollar equivalent of the quarterly dividend was based on the Bank of Canada noon exchange rate on the record date.
Beginning with the March 31, 2017 payment date, the Canadian dollar equivalent of the quarterly dividend is based on the Bank of Canada daily average exchange rate exactly two weeks (or 14 days) prior to the payment date for the dividend.

What this means is the Brookfield entities "declare" their dividends/distributions in US$ and the transfer agent (Computerserve) pays the broker in Canadian dollars (as the broker i.e. beneficial holder is a Canadian resident ) regardless of whether the shares are held in a Canadian or US dollar denominated account. If the shares are held in a US$ dollar account the broker then "buys" US$ to pay the share owner's account. This results in a small under or over payment of the actual dividend/distribution depending on how exchange rates have moved. This is how my brokerage (RBC Direct Investing) explained it.

Further to the tax issues:
The limited partnerships (BBU, BEP, BIP, BPY) pay distributions which are recorded on a T-5013 (and not a T-3 or T-5). The distributions are a combination of eligible dividends, interest income, foreign income, return of capital and other items depending on the entity. Companies have until March 31 to issue each years T-5013 (similar to a T-3 issued for REITs) which results in delays in filing annual income tax. Therefore it is better to hold the LPs in a RRSP/LIRA/TFSA if you want to simplify your annual tax return, however if the entities are held in a RRSP/TFSA there may be foreign withholding tax that cannot be recovered. Previous years breakdown of the distributions can be found on the individual LP's web page. Each individual should review their tax situation with a their individual tax expert.

BIP and now BEP move to create a Canadian Corporation which will issue eligible dividends will make life much simpler from a tax perspective.
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on November 12, 2019
Q: Hi,
I am looking for income and considering the above Brookfield companies. Would you please provide an overview of the different tax treatments of the income distributions. Are they best held in a registered or a non-registered account? Also, do you prefer one company over the other and if so why? Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on October 28, 2019
Q: I own all three of these Brookfield companies BAM.A, BIP, and BEP at 1.23%, 0.86% and 1.08% weightings respectively (total 3.18%). I am a long term growth investor. From previous questions, I think it's okay to own all three correct and there is not much overlap. If I were to maintain a 4-5% weighting total in these companies, how would you weight each for maximum capital appreciation? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on October 21, 2019
Q: Can you explain a bit more about what is going to happen with the upcoming stock split? This is what I've seen so far: "Currently, unitholders are expected to receive 0.11 BIPC shares for each unit held of Brookfield Infrastructure (i.e., one BIPC class A share for every nine Brookfield Infrastructure units held) in the form of a special distribution." Also do you know when this will take place? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 07, 2019
Q: While the conversion may improve marketability and market value, won't it reduce distributions by virtue of tax at the issuer level? As a retiree holding in a RRIF and relying on cash distributions, I am concerned. By reason of tax, is the following statement correct (which you quoted): "it will not result in any underlying change to aggregate cash flows"?
Read Answer Asked by Carl on October 02, 2019
Q: Hi 5i,
Further to Andrew's question about the BIP.UN creation of the BIPC entity, here are a couple of exerpts from BIP's press release. They do make mention of this also being something of a "special dividend", for what it is worth.
"the transaction will be analogous to a unit split as it will not result in any underlying change to aggregate cash flows or net asset value except for the adjustment for the number of units/shares outstanding."
And,
"Currently, unitholders are expected to receive 0.11 BIPC shares for each unit held of Brookfield Infrastructure (i.e., one BIPC class A share for every nine Brookfield Infrastructure units held) in the form of a special distribution."
Not sure if this helps clarify or just further muddies the waters, but thought I would pass this along.
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on October 01, 2019
Q: Hello Peter, as I have noticed a lot of ppl asking about the BIP and BIPC news, and since BIPC (or BEPC) can provide so many advantages (e.g., simple taxation, broader investor base, etc), why ppl still want to keep their shares in LPs, I mean, what's the benefits of holding these Brookfield family in LP structure?
Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by yun on September 30, 2019
Q: Hi Peter - Regarding the issuance of corporation shares by BIP.UN to existing units holders, will this be like a stock dividend or will it have the effect of a stock split? If it is like a stock split, my understanding is that the unit price of the original .un units will drop by 0.11% when the new corporation shares are issued and begin trading. Is this correct? Many thanks
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on September 30, 2019
Q: Hello 5i,
I am sure you will get some further questions about this, so don't bother posting this if it is merely one of many.
BIP has announced the creation of a new entity that will trade separately and be in addition to the existing BIP entity. It sounds like, as an existing unitholder, I will receive 0.11 (I think) shares for every one BIP unit I hold and that this will be deemed to be a Special Distribution over and above the regular quarterly distribution. It seems I do not have to do anything, just wait to receive the shares.
So my questions are:
1. Do I have this right?
2. What might this do the the existing BIP.UN unit price?
3. Is this dilutive, accretive or neutral in terms of unit/share count?
4. Do the expressed aims or goals seem to be worth the effort and expense in creating this new entity?
5. From the (little) information available, would you think it would be best to:
a) keep the shares and leave well enough alone
b) add to the shares
c) sell them and either buy more BIP.UN or,
d) buy something else
And, finally,
6. They mention the new shares as being more tax-friendly - at least for U.S. purchasers. Can you shed any light on if these shares are better for Canadian investors to hold rather than BIP.UN units from a tax perspective?
I know there probably isn't a ton of information/detail out there yet, but thought I would ask anyway.
Thanks for any clarity you can bring to this!!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on September 26, 2019
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