Q: My question is not about Vivendi per se but rather about activist investors who buy large numbers of stocks in underperforming companies (such as Vivendi) and then pressure these companies to break up into smaller businesses purportedly to boost shareholder value. Does this tactic always have the effect of improving returns for shareholders? Or are there times when it's better to wait until the dust settles? When I think of CP's huge gains after Bill Ackman's involvement, buying this company is hugely tempting.
Robert
Q: I'm interested In buying gold coins as a hedge against major issues. What denominations would be recommended? Where would I buy coins? Do you know of a good article I could read? Thanks.
Q: Hello Team
The $USD has been basically parabolic since July. I would like to hear your opinion regarding (1) The sustainability of such a move. Can the USD go it alone? (2) The effect on the U.S trade deficit. Was it not a strong dollar that contributed to large trade deficits in the past which , in turn, contributed to financial issues in the U.S. (3) The effect on U.S. companies selling abroad. Is it not a drag on their earnings. Is there any evidence of such a drag in the U.S. earnings yet. What do you guys think going forward?
Q: A guest on BNN recently said he was shorting MCR and thinks it goes to zero. This has got me concerned as I'm down 70% and had planned to wait out the oil recovery. My question is do you also think it goes to zero or do you think it will survive at this point? Could it be an aquisition target? I seem to have a problem knowing when to sell. Any advice or articles on when to sell a stock would be appreciated. Thank you for your service.
Q: Your view as to whether this is a good buy, especially in comparison to the other companies in similar business at current prices of your favourites?
thanks for all you do
john
Q: Hi guys, what would your current opinion be for Teck resources based the reliability of the dividend for the forseable future and the potential upside related to the possibility of coal tariffs being lifted by the Chinese.
Q: A member asked about transferring a stock held at a loss to his/her TFSA. As you point out, one could sell the stock and wait 30 days before re-acquiring it (that is, inside the TFSA.) Aternatively, one could purchase it inside the TFSA, then wait 30 days before selling the losing position. Of course, this ties up more funds - but under the right circumstances (including sector allocations) might be preferable to giving-up exposure altogether. After all, if the stock continues to decline, then the claimable loss is greater. Perhaps the more pertinent question is whether one believes in the stock strongly enough to hold on to it, in spite of the possibility of unclaimable losses (that is, on the position held inside the TFSA.)
Q: I am in the process of figuring out exactly the amount of each sector holding that I have and wondered how should I record preferred shares, should these recorded a financial sector?
Q: in your summary report you list Enbridge as belonging to the Energy sector but you often refer Enbridge as a good Utilities stock so should Enbridge really be under the Utilities sector?
Q: On March 5, 2015 theScore, closed a bought deal for 39,560,000 shares at a price of $0.67 per plus the over allotment option of another 5,160,000 shares.
Do you believe they are about to make an acquisition or just strengthening their balance sheet. Are they diluting themselves too much?
Q: There is an IPO on Monday for a recycling company called Grey's paper. It is supposed to come out at .25 cents a share. The city of Edmonton is already invested in them. Do you know anything about the company and the IPO. If not do any other members know anything about the company. Thanks.
Q: My apologies, as I tried to send an email from my phone earlier today, and had problems with service, and phone.
I thought I had completed my dudiligence on syz, and seemed like a great buy coupled with insider buying. Technicals indicate oversold, as well as RSI is low.
Markets were not good today, however what is wrong here, and should I be selling to average my loss.
Thanks for the great service
Q: Hi 5i: Thanks for pointing out the BoC interest rate hike as the cause of the increase in CBO price. I had actually just realized that as I read the ROB magazine over lunch. But it is interesting that a significant increase in the CBO price seems to have started in late December/early January. Poloz is quoted in ROB saying "... the possibility of a rate cut had begun to enter markets in the last couple of weeks." I didn't think that was supposed to happen.