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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 have just sold UL to garner a small tax loss. I would like to buy back in the new year but which is the better investment for dividend growth and growth UL or PG or should I hedge my bets and buy a bit of both ? Is there anything else in this sector that looks more promising?
Read Answer Asked by Anthony on December 20, 2023
Q: Hello,
I recently mentioned taking a position in MDLZ for part of my international holdings, not realizing MDLZ is actually US-based. Knowing you don't follow international stocks, are you generally aware of other internationally-based consumer defensive companies listed on a major US stock exchange? I looked at Nestle, but it seems to be only buyable OTC, and I am not too keen on that market. Another thought was DEO, do you see any red flags with it?
Thanks again, Michael
Read Answer Asked by Michael on November 03, 2023
Q: I am looking to add to the consumer defensive part of my portfolio, I already own Loblaws (L:CA) and Costco (COST:US). What other stocks do you recommend based on low debt/strong balance Sheet, secure and growing dividend, and some growth.
Many Thanks
Read Answer Asked by John on January 23, 2023
Q: AW.UN
AQN
POW
ENB
EIF

I am looking for your recommendations on good dividend paying stocks. Stocks which have come under pressure due to market conditions. Stocks that are low risk and do not have high debt. I am mostly interest in income stocks but would also like a stock that would give me some capital gains. I have listed these and would appreciate rating these. Please also provide me with any other tickers you feel would fit my needs here which I may not have thought about.

Thank you.

Donna
Read Answer Asked by Donna on May 16, 2022
Q: Just an additional answer to those who are interested in ADR'S as a way to diversify. Re costs, yes there are some. Eg, in my registered account, on my BP dividend, I get charged a fee on each dividend payout. Equates to 1.5% of the amount paid. I take it this is the local institutions custody and processing fee. Yet to see on UL but will likely be similar
Read Answer Asked by Harry on March 29, 2022
Q: Regarding Ivan's Mar. 28 question about these ADR's: They are all UK domiciled corporations, and the UK has no tax on dividends. Therefore there is no dividend withholding tax, even in a non-registered account. This is one of the reasons I prefer to hold ADR's of UK-headquartered stocks for foreign content - I currently can't make use of the foreign tax credit. (BTI is another one.)
Read Answer Asked by chris on March 29, 2022
Q: Hi Peter & 5i, The above ADR's trade on US Exchanges among others,
whose dividends are passed on to Canadian investors without the dreadful withholding tax, even in taxable accounts. How would you rate them from good to not so good. Also your input on these and others that you can think of, would be appreciated. As always thanks for the great service. Ivan
Read Answer Asked by Ivan on March 28, 2022
Q: Which consumer staple / defensive stocks would you recommend and why. (I already hold Alimentation-Couche Tard and will continue to hold this one.)

Also own Proctor & Gamble and OK to trade this one in an RRSP.
Really want something for 10 years and not to worry about ups and downs of market but happy to look at something of good value currently.
Please choose any of the above or another choice. Safety and sleep at night are priorities. Please Rank for me excluding ATD.

Thank you 5i.
Read Answer Asked by Tulio on February 01, 2022
Q: We recently initiated a TFSA for a family member (long-term buy & hold); the 10 securities purchased (in approximately equal amounts) were: Aritzia (ATZ), Unilever (UL), GoEasy (GSY), SunLife Financial (SLF), BAM (BAMa), WSP (WSP), Algonquin Power (AQN), Telus Int'l (TIXT), and an ETF called XUSR. Still have ~15% capital (~$12,000) to invest. Which 3 or 4 of these would you have greatest conviction to add to? And/or is there another security which would complement the above?

Ted
Read Answer Asked by Ted on January 27, 2022
Q: For context, this is a locked in RSP which will likely turn into a LIF and I am looking at this in terms of a dividend stream. Cashed in some cnq and have cash to deploy.

Of those mentioned, for relative safety of capital, good yield and yield appreciation, how would you rank these (cdn or us it does not matter). For eg, ABBV has an attractive yield but I am unsure of patents expiring etc. You thoughts.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Harry on January 24, 2022
Q: Looking at adding the 3 equities (HMMJ:CA; UL:US; XUSR:CA) to a TFSA. Some questions re: these 3 securities:
(a) is HMMJ:CA a reasonable security for exposure to marijuana sector, or is there another security (preferably, trading in CAD$) that you would recommend?
(b) is UL:US a U.K.-associated security, and hence there would be no tax withholding if held within a TFSA?
(c) is XUSR:CA a reasonable security for ESG exposure (in Canadian dollars) for TFSA, or is there another similar type of security that you would prefer for a TFSA?

Ted
Read Answer Asked by Ted on November 16, 2021
Q: Hi 5I,
You have recommended that I up my international , consumer defensive , & consumer cyclical exposure. With a 5 year time frame what would be some of your suggestions?
Earl
Read Answer Asked by earl on April 26, 2021
Q: I hold a lot of CGI in a tax deferred account. I sense you have grown lukewarm towards the company, but are not icy (yet) . Am I reading you right? I am OK holding (after some trimming), but if I have understood your view correctly , my question follows. If I were to sell, what would you suggest as replacement. Infosys and Accenture came to mind, but I have overdone it collecting far too many technology businesses in tech. Would you please therefore name some of your top picks amongst companies that have global operations, and (preferably) some dividend growth. I thought of PG and UL but know nothing about them. Your top picks would be very helpful.
Read Answer Asked by Adam on February 18, 2021
Q: Can you explain the difference between Unilever NV (UN) and Unilever PLC (UL). Which stock would be better to purchase? Although they are based in the Netherlands and the UK respectively, if I purchase the stock in my TFSA will the dividend be subject to a withholding tax because I purchased it on a US exchange? What is your opinion of the company and if I was interested in it would you be OK jumping into a full position today or would you start with a smaller purchase?
Read Answer Asked by Steven on October 27, 2020
Q: Hi, currently hold, PBH, ATD.B and WMT for my Consumer Staples allocation.
For yield , some growth and some safety, which is the better investment to add to my current holdings, KMB, PG, UL, or CLX in my RRSP. Thank-you in advance.Sam
Read Answer Asked by sam on March 25, 2019
Q: Re: Comment by Denis
Unilever trades under two primary symbols: UL and UN.

UL is traded on the London exchange and there are no withholding taxes. (but some minor administrative fee).
UN is also Unilever, but is traded in Amsterdam and there is Dutch witholding tax.

Hence for an RRSP or TFSA, one should always buy UL. As for a non-registered account, if the withholding tax on UN does not exceed 15% (the max foreign dividend tax credit offered by the CRA to individuals, to the best of my knowledge), it doesn't make any difference whether you purchase UL or UN.
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on December 05, 2016
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