Investment Q&A

Q: Hi,

I noticed in March that this ETF reduced their payout for March and April from 8.9c to 8c.

Is that normal for the payout to change during the year?

Q: In a recent answer you stated "while we might not be too excited about the outlook for real estate". Could you please expand on your thoughts. In addition to a diversified stock portfolio I hold considerable investments in rental income properties - multi-residential and commercial in the Kitchener/Waterloo area. At 69yo I'm considering going more conservative like increasing my GIC holdings.

Q: I seem to recall a question quite a while ago (years?) about the maximum % of your portfolio should be by fund company. If I remember correctly, your suggestion was to cap each fund company exposure to 15%. Am I correct and do you still feel the same?

My BMO ETFs are just over 16%.
My iShares ETFs are just over 15%.
I have smaller exposures to the fund companies holding HMAX, HHL, NNRG (around 5% each).

Please remind me again what the dangers are of exceeding your suggested threshold? For the larger fund companies, is the threshold higher?

Thanks for your help....much appreciated....Steve

Q: Hi...just went through the most recent questions on ZRE.

I have held ZRE for 3 years and am up roughly 10% total return....so a little over 3%/year. It is in my wife's TFSA, as she is more conservative.

I am a huge believer in asset allocation and have a 5% target weighting in REITs, with roughly half of that coming from ZRE. The balance is from CDZ and ZLB. My belief is you can rarely time "what sector is going to perform when", so I set my overall asset allocation and for the most part just leave it....trimming-adding when appropriate.

I also own a home, which I do not include in my investment asset allocation calculations. Technically then, I do not need to own any ZRE.

What is your current view on ZRE as you look forward for the next few years? I am quite content to continue to let it ride, believing it will have it's day.....but maybe I'm just being stubborn. Is your current crystal ball showing conditions that are positive for REITs

Thanks....Steve

Q: if one is looking to preserve capital but rely on dividends in a RRIF does it make sense to use the BMO covered call group for diversification and reduced volatility. I recognize the lag on upside. But it should also help in a down market? I would also be diversified in equities in my TFSA and cash accounts. Just trying to smooth the market out. Thoughts?

Thanks Dave

Q: Hello fantastic Team,
Do you have a preference ZRE or DIR?
Many thanks!

Q: Hello Peter & Team,

You often Mention ZRE as a good option for exposure in the RE Sector and I have held it for some time. The dividend is ok but, I am under water a little over 8% since taking on the position in 2023, and I'm getting a little weary of waiting... If you suggest to continue staying the course (always long term holds in my portfolio) because you expect I will climb out of this hole, then that is what I will do. But if you think I might be happier moving on to an alternative that you could recommend which might generate some gains while providing solid income along the way, it would be a recommendation I wouldn't say no to.

Thanks for all you do

gm

Q: Hi, would like to know your thoughts about an alternative to dir.un. Have had this one for about three years B.E. 12.60 ,(in an rrif). Or thoughts on another stock or etf I could add to dir. as it is my only stock in R.E. Sector.
Thanks

Q: Hi,

We could very well be heading into stagflation, which I understand to be slowing or negative growth, high unemployment, weak demand and rising inflation.

In such a scenario, which would be the best stocks or ETFs to favour ?

Many thanks,

Jacques IDS

Q: What are your top dividend paying recommendations for a long term hold?

And how does SouthBow compare to them?

Q: With respect to Canadian or US mortgage ETF, what 2 ETFs would you suggest I investigate more or are there 2 large cap stocks in Cda and US?.....Thanks for the assistance.....Tom

Q: Hello 5i, I am retired and on a RRIF. Could you suggest a REIT ETF and or a single REIT for income investment. I am looking at a 5 years horizon for holding.

Thank you in advance

Q: Looking at the REIT space given what seems to be a general decline in share prices of most real estate ETF's and general real estate related shares over the last few years. I already own DIR.UN and now I'm looking to add a REIT to the mix that offers at least a 6% dividend. I know you also like GRT.UN and CAR.UN. What are your thoughts on MREL and HGR as ETF options? Can you compare the two for me? Also would you suggest an alternate ETF to those tow ... or even a single REIT stock that you think can do well over the next 2-3 years and offer 5% dividend and capital protection.

Q: Hello Peter,
I tried to balance growth and income as well as dividends (no with holding tax in RRSP for US stocks but there is in TFSA), and hence, can you let me know if these make sense for a mid 20s person starting off to have a more growth in TFSA and more income in RRSP.
TFSA: veqt, vgg, and xfn and maybe xic ( veqt has cdn exposure so thought i would exclude xic )
RRSP: vbal, zuq, xic, and xuu all of these trade on tsx. Much appreciated.

Q: Thoughts on ZRE currently?

Q: Hi Peter and all at 5i. Wishing you the best of the season!

Peter, first of all, I really enjoyed your last article in the National Post. Your financial stories were highly entertaining.

I manage a RRSP for my daughter-in-law. She has approximately 24K in cash due to a GIC that recently matured. (She got 5.16% interest).

She has these commission-free ETFs: CEW, QQC.F, XHC, XIT, and XST. She would have to pay a $10 commission on the following stocks and ETFs: BCE, BNS, FTS, PBH, SLF, WSP, ZIN, and ZRE.

Question 1. In what order would you suggest she uses the cash to purchase more of the commission-free ETFs?

Question 2. If there are compelling reasons to do so, in what order would you suggest she uses the cash to purchase more of the stocks and ETFs where there is a $10 commission?

I’m hoping that this question can be answered before Christmas if possible. Please use as many question credits as you see fit to provide a comprehensive reply.

Thanks as always for your valuable insight.

Q: REITs have declined substantially since 2022. The payout has remained steady, but the market value of units has dropped.
What needs to happen in the markets to create a turnaround in this sector?

Q: Retired (70 yrs old), dividend-income investor. Been meaning to ask this question for a long time. We run a concentrated portfolio of roughly 10 ETFs and 10 stocks, plus fixed income on top. Our pro-rated MER for the equity ETFs is 0.64 and for the entire portfolio is 0.38.

I use the ETFs above that are sector ETFs (like HHL, NNRG, XIT) as my proxy for the sector and am ok with the trade off of paying fees for a sector ETF instead of having lots of stocks.

I then add my individual stock selections to achieve my targeted Asset Allocation for the entire portfolio (like AD, BCE, FTS, GSY, RY, NWC, PBH, TRP, WSP, etc). I weight each of these relative to my risk tolerance.

Does this make sense to you? Does my "sector ETF" make sense, especially with a potentially large weighting in one ETF. Virtually all of my ETFs are capped at around 7% of the equity portfolio and the stocks are capped at 5% max.

Your thoughts on my strategy and on my MER....thanks...Steve

Q: I am 83 years old and thinking of reducing my portfolio of stocks and putting the monies in Dimensional Funds in my RRIF. Returns seem to be excellent and I would like to get your opinion on these funds. I have no pension so I rely solely on the income generated by these Funds
Second question: The other option is trading my stocks for ETF's therefore what 5/6 ETF's would you recommend that would make a nice balanced income producing portfolio

Wayne

Q: Hi Gang
What are your 5 top Canadian income ETFs

Thanks Mike B