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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: iShares ETF CUD-T is comprised of the "highest dividend-yielding securities of the S&P Composite 1500 Index that have increased dividends every year for at least 20 consecutive years". It is CA$ hedged. Is there a US$ ETF covering the same on the NY market?
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Terrance on August 06, 2013
Q: Hello Gentlemen, please tell me what "5i Alpha" represents on your model portfolio summary.
Thanks
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi Peter & 5i: When I asked (July 18) my last question about Just Energy’s (JE) run up from $6.15, I was not aware that Jim Pattison had just filed (July 10) an SEC disclosure that, between him and Jim Pattison Ltd, he had beneficial ownership of approximately 10.8% of the common shares in the company. I am wondering about the potential significance of this development. I imagine there would have been significant due diligence prior to the share acquisitions. Is JE something he could look at taking private? It is still trading with a yield over 11.5%. That is quite a lot of cash flow that could be directed toward paying down debt in a private ownership scenario. Also, for a fixed income holding, its 2018 5.75% convertible debentures (JE.DB.B) are available for not much more than 70 cents on the dollar. That’s a yield of around 8% while you wait for the 25-30% capital gain on redemption. If nothing else, wouldn't Pattison’s investment be a decent vote of confidence that the company isn’t going under anytime soon? What do you think?
Read Answer Asked by Lance on August 06, 2013
Q: Information eventually for the community.
I spent a lot of time (trying to) getting info on reported earnings, disregarding completely the actual official reporting against estimates which are themselves constantly revised to match the `Beat estimate requisite during the quarterly `Urbi et Orbi financial results Mass`.
This morning I found wwww.factset.com that seems to do a good job reporting the real results. If you go to the site, you will see that 2Q earnings are dismal, born(should I say levitated) once again by financials that are reducing quarter after quarter their reserves to maintain earning growth.
Anyway, if you think it is worth, please publish.
CDJ
Read Answer Asked by claude on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi Peter: Any updates on DirectCash (DCI) ? Thanks !! Dave
Read Answer Asked by David on August 06, 2013
Q: I need some marital advice. I currently own a full position in K-Bro Linen, and will be happy to hold it for the next few years. I have been pushing my (ultra conservative) wife to put some of her excess cash to work and add a full position of KBL to her relatively small portfolio for weeks now. Right when I had her convinced to go ahead, the company went on a sharp drop (down another 4% today) on seemingly no news…. Now I can’t get her to stop heckling me at the dinner table about “all the money she saved by not buying it”.

What’s my rebuttal?!!?!?

Generally speaking, what do you say to clients who get too caught up in short term market fluctuations and lose sight of the big picture? Finally, I still think this is a great purchase for her to make for a long term hold (deep down, she does too) … seeing how this thing continues to drop, again, on no news, would you advise someone to buy now, or wait until after earnings gets released seeing how this thing continues to drop?
Read Answer Asked by Ray on August 06, 2013
Q: I hold stocks in my RRSP and non-registered, but recently opened a TFSA. I feel that managing stocks in 3 account is too complicated so would like to buy some ETFs that I can rebalance once per year in my TFSA. Do you have a suggestion for an ETF portfolio that includes a mix of large cap and small cap Canadian and U.S. ?

Thanks,
Carla
Read Answer Asked by Carla on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi Peter and team, thanks again for your great service! Do you have a recommendation for a health-related ETF? I've been looking at XLV, ZUH and VHT, leaning toward XLV, but am open to suggestions. Thanks!!
Read Answer Asked by Kate on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi Peter,

Any thoughts on the news regarding BEK.B retaining PWC for the possible sale of the company? I know this has happened in the past with no success, do you think market conditions are better now for the sale?

Also, is there any additional news other than the press release that you may have access to that we don't?

Thanks

Alex
Read Answer Asked by Alexander on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi, I'm looking to consolidate some US holdings. In my RRSP I'm considering selling either Electronics For Imaging (EFII) or Qualcomm (QCOM) and buy more Celgene (CELG). In my LIRA I'm considering taking my losses on Mosaic (MOS) and buy more of either Apple (AAPL) or Cooper (COO). What do you think of these trades? Thanks again!
Read Answer Asked by Ian on August 06, 2013
Q: Can you explain the lack of interest in TXF.A.
Their holdings are OK. Their largest FB recently came to life.
Yield 7.7%
Thanks
John
Read Answer Asked by John on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi, Peter
I have a question on the VIX. I trade the Canadian VXX. I am surprised to see the significant difference between the VXX (Can) and the VXX (Us). the drop of the Can dollar does not explain the difference : VXX can -1.74% VXX us +1% and $CAN -.21%.
Any reason and also is The VXX a good way of playing a potential disruption in the markets?
Thanks in advance
CDJ
Read Answer Asked by claude on August 06, 2013
Q: Further to my earlier question about First National Financial (FN-T), I note that your previous analyses about FN said that the dividend payout ratio in the first quarter of 2013 was 132% up from 103% the previous year. The most recent RBC Capital Market foundation report on FN indicates that it was 68.6% in 2012 and estimates it to be 54.2% in 2013. Why such a discrepancy? As always, I look forward to your views.
Read Answer Asked by richard on August 06, 2013
Q: Hi Peter! Many thanks for your outstanding services. Question:
Is Canadian tire (CTC) flying under everybody's radar?

Read Answer Asked by Ray on August 06, 2013
Q: I would appreciate your assessment of the impact of the proposed restriction in mortgage guarantees from CMHC on First National Financial (FN-T). Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by richard on August 06, 2013
Q: KBL is down 7.75% over the last 5 days. I haven't seen any news to cause the drop. Can you shed any light. I may want buy some.
Thanks
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on August 06, 2013