Investment Q&A

Q: What's lit a fire under the renewables all of a sudden? The market has suddenly fallen in love with them again? Is this a temporary fling or likely to last?

Q: Morning,
Best vehicle to park cash today. Criteria: safety.
Thanks.

Q: Hi,

With stock prices much depressed I have concerns that some unprofitable growth companies will have a hard time raising sufficient cash to fund operations; at least without massive dilution.

My question is two part:
1. What is (are?) the best metrics to assess profitability of a company (net margins, cash flow, etc)?
2. From your Canadian list of companies which do you see as the most needy to raise cash within the next 6-12 months in order to continue to fund operations.

Thanks,

Cam

Q: Retired, dividend-income investor.

I just flushed a legacy mutual fund that was planned to be merged into a different MF. I didn't like the new MF asset allocation. I plan to top up some of my existing ETFs and stock holdings to my maximum comfort level re: asset allocation, then (if needed) add an additional ETF to complement the portfolio.

Q#1 = I own CDZ and ZLB. For a conservative, long term, core ETF what guideline would you use for maximum asset allocation? I currently am at 7-8% each for the equity portion of my portfolio.. Is it reasonable to stretch this to 10% each? When I look at the top 10 holdings in CDZ and ZLB, there is no overlap at all.

Q#2 = I also own LIFE and ZWC, both covered call ETFs...total exposure is 11% of my equities. What maximum exposure to CC would you recommed? I seem to recall a question a while back that you suggested 10 or 15% was reasonable.

Q#3 = depending on your above answers, I may need an additional ETF with the following attributes for a long term holding = conservative, dividend >3%, Canadian holdings (ok to have some foreign). holdings should hit as many of the 11 sectors as possible and if possible, little overlap with the top 10 contained in CDZ or ZLB.

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

Q: Would you be a buyer of Viatris after the 22% drop today?

Q: It seems agriculture companies are doing well in the current and probably future environment. NTR looks good but has already moved up a lot. Appreciate your opinion on whether it is still wise to take a new position. Also, do you know of other companies that should benefit from the current dynamics. I'm open to Canadian or other ideas.

Q: Which company would you prefer?
Thanks

Q: KEN is a holding company that has had quite a rise in share price over the last two years .....It has a 59% position in OPC Energy ...... A 26% interest in the shipping company ZIM and 12% in QOROS a Chinese auto company ..... Could you give me some details on these three companies ? And growth going forward ? At first blush it looks like a conservative company with a juicy dividend and a rising share price .... Also in your last question on the company you mention a 9.6% yield ..... My TD Waterhouse account shows 7.6% and Yahoo Finance shows 12.9% ..... Could you confirm your 9.6% number .....Thanks Garth ......

Q: Hi, have both in my TFSA account, thinking of selling one of these, to lower my overall risk, would you have a preference on which to sell, and which to keep for long term.

Q: Hello I’ve been watching what has been going on in our world and it is terrifying and heartbreaking
Would you have a few cyber security stocks we could add to our portfolio and stocks that you would be looking at in these times
Thank you and take care

Q: Read your answer to Ken's question dated Feb 25, 2022 to STLC question. You answered "..with the pricing discrepancy on the basis of hedging through the use of futures, management noted significantly lower prices for steel, which will dampen revenues." Looking at the charts for US steel companies: where NUE and RS hit new highs and X rose 10.45% on Friday. I would have thought this price action would also be reflected in Canadian steel companies (ie: STLC, RUS) based on "A tide rises all boats" theory. However this was not the case on Friday. Is hedging and/or steel tariffs the reason? Or maybe something else? Thank you your insight.

Q: Good morning people. Could you please rate the following U.S. traded energy companies in terms of possible investment, and why one instead of another? BP, CVX, XOM, COP- As always, thanks for what you do

Q: With intrest rate rising,perhaps faster in USthan Canada Which stocks will benefit and which has more risk but perhaps benefit.
Does Energy stocks still have room to grow?

Q: Are you aware if there are mounting pressures on ETF providers (Vanguard, Black Rock, etc...) to exit the Russian equity markets? I own VEE, VXC and VEQT for my international exposure, and realized I own about 1500$ worth of Russian stocks. I am not morally confortable anymore with that exposure even though it's a very small weighting. I would gladly write it off of my portfolio... I know this is personal to every investor and that's OK, but some principles come before returns for me...
If it's unlikely Vanguard would make any move towards ETF ex-Russia, I am seriously thinking of selling all (fortunately my exposure is mostly in registered accounts) and buying international alternatives.

What ETFs would you then suggest to get similar international exposure ex-Russia?

Thank you

Q: I have invested in both of these ETFs, one being in CAD, the other in USD.
On Thursday, the value of the CAD version was $16.03; the value of the USD version was 16.62.
This difference in value does not adequately address the current exchange rate of about 1.28.
It seems that the US version is underpriced and that the CAD version is much better value. Could you please explain why there is this discrepancy?
Thank you!

Q: Please list in order (first to last) your top five US cyclical stocks. If APPL isn't one of them, please explain why not. Thank you.

Q: my question is on oil.
i tend to follow eric nuttall who has been 100% on the money with oil and oil stocks.
however a lot of analysts feel with the coming of iranian oil, the increase in rig counts etc oil might drop back to 70. the 2nd half of the year.
what is your opinion and is nuttall right that these high oil prices can continue for 2 to 3 more years.
dave

Q: Hi Peter/Ryan, I have 100 CM shares and they might be splitting 2/1, if I was thinking of selling some of them is it better to sell before or after the split or does it mater and how does it effect the adjusted cost. Thanks

Q: Ovintiv has clawed its way back from what seemed like the brink of death in March of 2020 but (1) how does the firm's recovery over the past year compare to its peers and (2) what is your view on its future potential? Buy, hold or sell?

Q: I am preparing tax documents for 2021. Several times last year you answered questions about TOI shares that were "gifted" to owners of CSU. You said the TOI shares were costed at CAD$0.00015641/share. Was there any change in value after that date?