Investment Q&A

Q: The rise in stock prices of a few mega-caps (Apple, Facebook, Amazon, etc.) has distorted the concept of broad diversification through index investing (S&P 500). While the index rises, many index constituents have performed poorly.

Some ETF providers have created funds that hold a subset of the components of existing indices. Inclusion is based on their concept of company "quality". Presumably this eliminates poor performers and results in a "better" fund.
Examples are: ZUQ, SPHQ, QUAL, ZGQ, ZEQ.

Please comment on this idea of "quality" subsets of existing indexes. Do you consider this to be a useful investing strategy? Would you consider the examples listed to be preferable investments compared to the broader indices?

Thank you.
IslandJohn

Q: I have a TFSA with about $33K that I plan to give to my daughter for graduate school in about 2 years. ZWU looks like a good investment, with YTD return of -14.25% and yield of about 7.95%. Would appreciate your comments on ZWU and any other suggestions you could provide.
Thanks!

Q: I am under weight your csu position should Isell gc. I know different industry etc

Q: Excuse the question as it's not directly tied to Canadian stocks, but the Canadian Real Estate Market. Do you see a drop in prices coming, in light of Covid, the upcoming end of Mortgage Deferrals and CERB payments?

Q: Hi 5i,
Somehow I let myself get seduced by Corus and bought in some time ago, and I'm now sitting on a fairly large (but so far unrealized) loss in a registered account. I've kept thinking there's potential and I'll at least get to the point where I'm only down 50% and will unload then, but things only seem to get worse. So my questions:
Now that it's so cheap is there any reasonable prospect that Corus might be seen as worthwhile takeover target by anyone out there such that the stock could possibly get a bump, or should I just put that thought down to wishful thinking, take my lumps and put what (little) money I'll get from selling into something with better prospects?
And who might such a white knight be, if you think there could be one?
Thanks,
Peter

Q: After market close Sep 4,GC announces that it will reopen 11 properties in Ont & 1 in NB on Sep28,& working with NS.Please comment on its effect. Txs for u usual great services & views

Q: Morning team,

I've recently taken some profits and have some cash to deploy for long term holds. And I would be interested to know what your top investment "themes" would be for the next 5+ years are? For instance, ideas that come to mind for me are Cloud computing, "green" investment, and cyber security. Are there others that you find more intriguing? And which companies/ETFs would you recommend as investments?

Thank you again for you insights!

Q: One is an ETF while the other used covered calls to enhance dividends. Can you tell me what real difference there is between them aside from the 5% vs 10%+ div. I was thinking of buying XDIV but several of its holdings are the same as DFN which I own. Any point in also owning XDIV?
Thanks very much.

Q: good Saturday on our Canuck Labour Day week-end....from time to time, I breeze through the investment stock summarizer of BNN Market Call tv shows, aka Stock Chase....and a new name appears - Billy Kawasaki....with his "Insights, Picks from 5iR"......what can you tell me about Billy???........curious Tom signing off

Q: From what I am reading the federal government is going to go significantly increase spending in the next budget [latest number I am seeing is $100 billion]. This will take Canada's debt well over $1T, probably a further downgrade in Canada's debt rating from the current AA. As a retired person would I be correct in thinking a larger part of one's portfolio should be shifted to basic materials including precious metals, to foreign and US bonds and to a healthy cash balance in foreign currencies such as the USD, GBP and EUR?
As you are aware inflation is a killer for people living mainly on pension income so I'm trying to look forward and take action in small steps over time.
Thanks.

Q: I am wondering where you see the Canadian dollar headed in the near term and early 2021. If I am interested in purchasing US equities do you think I should convert now or wait for our dollar to go higher. Since I am also anticipating volatility in the next few months I don't want to miss my chance at converting and acquiring US equities. Thank you!

Q: Hey Peter & Team,

Thanks for all your help this year and last. My subscription paid for itself in a matter of weeks. (please don't increase the price)
Having said that and before I proceed NO, I am not one of those "OH MY GOD, THE SKY IS FALLING" people at the first hint of a drop. I did however take on a new position in PHO on Wednesday and as of Friday's close it is off 13.9%.
Among my many rules, one in particular states "drop an equity when it gets to 15% below my average cost." A rule which allows me to avoid getting to that position where I wait, it goes down further then I get to the "have nothing to loose mentality" and end up with a name in my portfolio with a -88% in red next to it.
So... what do I do with PHO? I know you have been recommending it as one of a few equities to be added to a growth portfolio.
Do you see any reasons/trouble that might have caused the significant drop? Should I stick with my 15% rule. (hard to answer I know as it is a personal preference) Has your long term outlook for PHO changed? Is there any news you may have seen which could explain this precipitous drop? Feel free to add anything else.
Thanks for all you do

gm

Q: hi 5i,
Would you please comment on this article;
David Rosenberg: No matter how you slice it, markets are in a bubble of historic proportions; And the higher they are, the harder they fall.
https://financialpost.com/investing/investing-pro/david-rosenberg-no-matter-how-you-slice-it-markets-are-in-a-bubble-of-historic-proportions/wcm/ccfab059-78b1-480e-8b01-b3ae4cefe8d0/

thanks

Q: I was reading your column last night in the Financial Post and you mentioned the VIX. I trade with TD and when I enter the call letters VIX, I get a whole list of different ones with different valuations. Which one do I use for what you were talking about.
Thanks for your great advice. Have a nice long weekend.
Shirley

Q: What are your thoughts on buying into SNC and Air Canada on their lows?

Q: Short interest , does the level of short interest provide any insight on how the market feels about a company. Is it a metric that 5i uses ?
Thanks

Q: Hello. I didn't find any questions asked about VERY. Would you be able to give me your thoughts about whether it might be worthy company to invest in? Thanks.

Q: Greetings 5i,

Don Durrett was a guest on Mining Stock Daily podcast last Friday. good listen for sure. Don has some interesting opinions on the precious metals market today. Most bullish on mid tier low cost producers. Id give it a listen if interested in this sector.

Cheers!

Q: Could you give your thoughts on CGY? It seems to have done well through and after March (ie the COVID market drop) and as a concept, I like its multiple segments that might sustain the company in various markets. But my concern is the very breath in diversity of its segments, and how the company can continue to retain focus for operations as a small cap name and also clarity for investors. Thoughts? Thanks for your valued input.

Q: We currently own the above US companies what would your suggestion be to add to this mix?