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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'm going to set up a TFSA for my daughter she has 41K in available room,for a 5 year duration with the hopes of cashing it in for a down payment on a house.My strategy is to put 10K in 4 funds by setting them up as DRIPs not worried about price appreciation(although that would be great)looking to get 6-10 % on dividends,would like to stay primarily Canadian could you comment on the 3 ETFs i am considering and also could you recommend 3 different options of ETFs that could work ....Thank you for your great service
Read Answer Asked by Greg on July 12, 2023
Q: I have a bit of money to invest in dividend paying stocks for a long term hold . What do you think of the 5, I have listed or can you suggest anything better ? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Frank on June 22, 2023
Q: Good morning,
May I have 5is opinion (pros and cons) regarding the following please.
I have just rolled my RSP into a RIF and am thinking of selling AQN and SPB and consolidating into ZWU. My thinking is that this will in a simpler more stable way of provide equal to better performance (income with some growth) over time. Do my thoughts have merit? I also hold BEP.UN as well as FTS.

Thank you for your thoughts and opinion.
Read Answer Asked by Brian on May 24, 2023
Q: Hello 5i team,
I'm thinking of increasing my position in ZWU in my TFSA. It pays a big distribution of 8.39% at the moment, and is trading near its 5 and 10 year lows. As utilities have been beat down by rising rates over the past year, would you expect a recovery in the unit price as central banks reach their "terminal rates" and look towards reducing rates in 2024? My understanding is that calls are not written on all of the fund's holdings, leading me to think there is some upside in the unit price if/when utilities recover, in addition to collecting an outsized yield. Is my thesis correct?
Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Brian on May 17, 2023
Q: Looking at 3 very different asset classes that offer high yields and would appreciate your help in sorting which ones offer best risk/ reward.
1. Covered calls: NXF, ZWC, ZWU, LIFE, JEPI;
2. Credit - OCSL, ORCC, MAINMAIN
3. Yield - GCOW, EIT-UN.
Questions: 1. What is your comfort level on risk/reward for any or all;
2. Please choose which are investable with short commentary as to rationale and and target buy prices
Read Answer Asked by sam on March 09, 2023
Q: Hi

Is it time to lighten up on the following and look at growth stock..

In our RRSP we have

LIFE at 5% of the RRSP (still not underwater)
XYLD at 9% of the RRSP
ZWU at 5% of the RRSP

Like the dividend but two holdings are are dropping in valve.

Thank you

Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on February 22, 2023
Q: I notice that utility ETF are in the low range of 52 weeks.Considering interest rates and economic context ,is it a good time now to invest in utility ETF (or even in utility covered call ETF in order to limit the present volatility ) ? any ETF suggestion ?
Read Answer Asked by Jean-Yves on February 01, 2023
Q: I am looking for ETFs that trade on the TSX with a yield of at least 4-5%. From the income portfolio, I see CPD (preferreds) / CVD (convertible) / XHY (US HY) / ZRE (REITs), and I am also aware of ZWU (Utilities) / ZWB (Banks).

Are there any others that don't have much overlap with the above that you would recommend?
Read Answer Asked by Alexander on January 31, 2023
Q: In reference to Paul's question yesterday. That ZWU from 2017 to 2021 of that nice dividend 1/2 to 1/3 was a return of my own capital, Considering that, I'm surprised that 5I has recommended ZWU. What I thought was a very nice dividend is not. Now I'm wondering how many other covered call stocks are doing the same? The underlying stocks don't give a return of capital, right. Next I'm going to find out there is no Santa.
Read Answer Asked by Brian on January 19, 2023
Q: A portion of my portfolio is invested in the BMO Covered Call ETF's. In their fund prospectus, they indicate that a portion of your return is a return of capital. Is this a return of invested capital or is this the return of the premiums collected from writing the calls against the underlying securities?
Read Answer Asked by T Michael on January 17, 2023
Q: I need to add income equities to the TFSA as the income target is underwater. With this, I'm pondering adding BMO Covered Call Canadian Banks ETF(ZWB-T) to the TFSA for extra income, rather than say ENB that I would prefer to hold in a trading account and also rather than hold a small capitalization stock like AW.UN. What do you say about this option, ZWB for a mate over the age of 71?
If you are aligned with this approach, are there other Covered Call ETFs that you would suggest from my consideration?
Many thanks for the hints!!!......Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on January 10, 2023
Q: Hello, I'm recently retired. I am seeking income generating vehicles for my various, registered plans (RRSP, LIRA, TFSA) to invest in. I'm considering an investment in ZWU. I'm wondering if there might be a similar, utilities based, covered call, ETF available for the American market?

Lastly, if any of these ETFs might also be available without the covered call overlay and if you believe that those versions of the ETFs might provide better, mid-term probability of a greater Total Return; I'd be interested in your opinion, as well.

Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Richard on November 29, 2022
Q: Hello 5i
In one of the recent questions it was said that you do not like covered call etf’s. I didn’t know that was the case. Maybe it isn’t, even i don’t know. I have concentrated my covered calls on American companies that i own. Also many uncovered puts. I have concentrated on the US because the premiums are much higher than on Canadian stocks. I have quite a few Canadian stocks, however. And i hate to see them languishing and unproductive. I have therefore been thinking of a way to make some money on them. The premiums are so low that it doesn’t seem to be worth the effort. But, covered call etf’s would be easier. I don’t know much about them, however. I wonder whether you might provide some information and some pros and cons. Whether you like the idea or not.
Thanks for the excellent service.
Read Answer Asked by joseph on November 24, 2022