Investment Q&A

Q: I am pleased to say that with your advice I have enjoyed outstanding results and my portfolio is now at a level where I would like to protect against a significant market correction.
Reading your Q&A's there is references to puts and calls. From what I ascertain puts/calls can be a tool to protect and also enhance returns. Can you recommend resources for someone like me who is interested in learning more about this strategy.
Thanks
John

Q: Can you enlighten me on this one: “a blank cheque company”. I have bought a few stocks over the years that made me feel like i signed a blank cheque ... but never one that actually declared itself to be a blank cheque company.

BFT hasn’t started business, no revenue, seemingly owns nothing. So what is it? Is there anything here to justify putting a bit of mad money into this non-entity?

Thanks for your help; and please add me to the long list of appreciative and happy 5i’ers wishing you and all the 5i team the best of all life has to offer now and in the years ahead. Merry Christmas 5i.

Q: Hello, with the slight bump in cdn dollar, would you buy Apple shares today with new Tfsa money? Long term hold. Thanks again.

Q: Do you know what's moving Versabank lately? I was about to sell my shares about a month ago after two years during which it went nowhere. Do you think it is worth hanging on? What would be a good replacement in the small-mip cap financial sector, other than GSY.

Q: What are your thoughts on FCC with the $10M investment from the government and the recent run up in stock price?

Q: I asked this question a couple of days ago but haven't yet received a reply. I was wondering if you thought this stock, THS, was a good small cap investment in the US housing area. Someone likes it since it went up 78 cents today.
Thanks
Dave

Q: Can i have your opinion on what percentage of your Portfolio you would weight this High Yield Bond Fund.
Thanks Gord

Q: I hold IPL with a large loss position. Your thoughts on selling and moving the proceeds into PPL?
Thanks
Great work!

Q: Peter; So they missed on revenue but eps exceeded expectations? How do you feel the market will interpret this- as a miss or not? Thanks.
Rod

Q: Can you comment on Syz latest earnings. A miss. Anything to be overly concerned with? Still a buy in your estimation?

Q: Seems there is a trend or investment opportunity to buy shares in small Canadian companies that are then acquired by US companies. What comes to mind are JPMorgan acquiring Solium Capital and Goldman Sachs putting in an offer for all of People. What other such small Canadian companies are liking to "suffer" this acquisition fate?.....Tom

Q: Well, Air Canada's all time high was about 50 loonies per share. But now with the recent dilution of existing shareholders, I estimate the revised high will be about $45, adjusted for the dilution, Seems like a floor is forming under AC shares at about $23.60. What say you, aka your guess, and what with all the uncertainty that there is, about will this floor hold? And also what is the long-term guess-estimate target price in 12 months or longer?......Tom

Q: I usually aim to invest 60% in Canada, 30% in the US and 10% outside North America. With US markets quite high again, is there more opportunity internationally and is a heavier weighting in that direction warranted?

Q: Hi folks, can get your opinion of the merger between Aphria & TIlray. Aphria paid a 23% premium to hook up with tilray, to become the largest POT company. Investment community & analysts don't seem to like the deal...but I think Irwin Simon is the right person to run the new company, and has the brains/experience to make the new company successful & profitable. Can I please get your thoughts on the merger, and the future of the "new" Tilray. Thanks & Joyeux Noel, jb, Piedmont QC

Q: I like companies that are based on a subscription model. With recurring revenues and growth "banking" on acquiring new customers, it would appear to be a path towards increased profitability and less risk. Aside from the obvious candidates, Netflix, Adobe, Crowdstrike, Microsoft and even Disney, can you identify a few companies in the US and in Canada that receive their revenue largely on subscriptions, that are not mega corporations already but exhibit strong growth.

Q: Hi,
What is your general opinion of investing in segregated funds? I understand that there are some great benefits for estate planning purposes as you get older, i.e. bypassing probate/estate fees, quick transfer of funds to beneficiaries, guaranteed death benefit, etc... but are the high MER fees (>2%) really worth it? I was helping my mom who is retired look into some of her investments in her TFSA and her advisor has her in invested in these two Manulife products, MPS4959 and MPS4980. Thoughts on these two funds? Do these two funds pay dividends or have a distribution yield? Could not find it.
Aside from the benefits I mentioned above where you only get with Seg funds, and looking at just the pure investment return/structure of the funds, could you suggest 4-5 other attractive ETF's that she could invest in that would outperform these over the next 10-20 years? I would like to switch her into some low cost ETF's or an all in one fund that are either comparable(balanced fund) or better than these two expensive products. She is close to 70, won't need to draw any of this money to live on (she has other sources of income) and looking for some steady and stable growth assuming life expectancy for another 15-25 years. Thanks!

Q: I have a margin account at TD. I receive 50% margin on CNQ, GSY AND SJ. On SIS, a much smaller company I receive 70% margin. This does not make sense. Could you explain how trading companies like TD determine margin?

Q: If a member asks a multi part question & then states the number of credits that you should take, does that have any bearing on the number of credits taken? Please take one credit!
Thanks

Q: REALLY ? This company has increased in value six fold this year to a market capitalization of over $ 600 billion , roughly the value of the next 7 largest car makers combined ! The stock has gone from $70.00 to $625.00 this year. Yes, Elon Musk is one smart visionary, but this sure looks like a bubble. What do you think of the company and would you buy the stock? Thanks Derek

Q: Goodmorning 5i,
Best of the season to you all. And I concur with previous writers who have lauded your advice. I have profited as a result of your expertise and generosity in sharing it, as well. My question has to do with options. I believe that you sell call options. In his book, "Money for Nothing", I believe Derek Foster said that he only sells puts, as he doesn't want to have the stocks he bought at low prices, because of put options, called away. I have been selling call options and note that they are not often called away. And sometimes when they are, I do a simple calculation to see whether I would be better to buy them back, if I think they are going to continue rising. I have worried from time to time, though, about being called away. Especially when there are high capital gains in a non registered account. I suspect you also have higher capital gains possible on many of the stocks you sell call options on, as well. I was wondering what your take is on this question.=?