Investment Q&A

Q: Early last year we invested 25% of our cash into the listed ETF's. We have another 50% of our cash in GIC's and 25% in an assortment of stocks. As you know they pay good dividends and we experienced good capitol gains growth on some of them last year, others were up marginally. We are looking at these as long term holds for income and would just like your thoughts on our choices. Would you recommend a different mix of ETF's.
Thanks Ron

Q: Hello 5i team,
In several recent reports you recommended selling the full position in CPD, noting “better opportunities.” I also noticed that CVD and MFT were removed from your model portfolios earlier.
Given this shift away from preferred-share ETFs, do you think a combination of ZWU, ENCC, ZWB, and HTA would serve as a reasonably balanced substitute for a moderate‑risk, slightly income‑oriented allocation? Or would you suggest broader diversification?
Thank you for your insights!

Q: In one of recent reports you suggested to sell full position of CPD mentioning "better opportunities". I noticed that CVD also disappeared from your Income Portfolio as well (it is more explicable for me). Can you suggest potential alternatives for substitution of CPD / CVD considering relatively high dividends they pay and relatively low volatility? (may you consider ZMO or ZPAY... or something like that - kind of speculations :)). Thank you for great service!

Q: After holding this ETF for about 8 years and riding many waves up and down, I am finally ahead a little (not counting dividends). It makes up about 17% of my total holdings. I do not have any substantive exposure to Technology or Reits. There are two etf's I have my eye on-QMAX and RMAX which pay about 10%. ZWC pays about 6%. I would only switch about 50% of ZWC and split it out evenly to QMAX and RMAX. I already hold a bank ETF and a Utility ETF so I think doing his would give me some additional diversification. Your thoughts please?
As a side note, many people ask about these covered call ETF's. When I bought ZWC the TSX was around 16,000. Now I am just slightly above what I paid 8 years ago and the TSX is almost double. Don't expect big growth with these vehicles however the dividends are nice.

Q: I have owned all 3 for a few years. I am wondering if I do just as well or better with moving the money to non covered call investments ? I also own ZWU which you like. Please deduct appropriate credits for a comprehensive answer. Thanks Steve

Q: Hi,

I have been trying the understand the pros and cons of covered calls and options ETFs by looking at previous questions on the subject. I spent considerable time on the matter and I am more confused than ever.

Would you be kind enough to summarize your views on the matter and, if you are really positive about it, please provide a list of the best ETFs suitable for a strong growth investor.

Gratefully,

Jacques IDS

Q: This is a follow-up to the Sept. 11th question where you mentioned other funds that are similar to this. Could you name a couple that you would recommend please? Thanks.

Q: Please advise which covered call QDAY, SDAY or CDAY ETF you would recommend and why since I can have money to buy one ETF only or you prefer another cover call ETF.

Thanks for the great advice

Q: Hello, would like to know for total returns of these ETFs (ZWC, ZWU, CNCC, HCAL, ZSP, VCN, VE, XGRO, VEQT, XBAL) which is your favorite in order for each and in which account type is each best suited for. Also please give me your number 1 top pick of all Canadian listed ETFs for each account type.

Thank you

Q: Hello 5i,
I am curious as to whether or not both of these could be owned or if there is too much overlap. Do you have a strong preference for one over the other? Finally, do you consider one of these to be "safer" than the other?
Many thanks!!
Cheers,
Mike

Q: Hi, what is your preference in order of these ETFs UMAX, ZWU, ZWC or is there other covered calls that you prefer. Please place in preference order. Also in which account type would each be best suited for including your picks.
Thank you

Q: Hi,

If you had to choose between the two for "total return" in the present economic environment, which of the two would you choose?
Do you have any other suggestion for covered call income that you would prefer over these two?
Regards

Q: I normally keep individual stocks to a limit of 5% of my portfolio in a registered account. However, with ZWC being an ETF, how high do you think I could go, given that it is diversified in many stocks?

What would be an attractive price to buy into ZWC?

If ZWU is also held in the same account, how high could you go for that ETF (as a percentage of the account)? And would that affect the amount of ZWC held in the same account?

Thank you.

Q: I have been building a portfolio with ETFs.
ZWC (10.3%) & HMAX (4.97%) makes up the Canadian Income Equity Sector (15.3%)

I am 77 years of age and only interested in Dividends, Interest and Distributions. I have 9 sectors I will present each over the next 2 weeks. Please comment on the 2 ETFs in this sector.

Thank You, Jim

Q: Best of the Season to all at 5i,

Please advise your most well thought of covered call ETFs. Leveraged and unleveraged.

Thanks very much.

Q: Retired (70 yrs old), dividend-income investor. Been meaning to ask this question for a long time. We run a concentrated portfolio of roughly 10 ETFs and 10 stocks, plus fixed income on top. Our pro-rated MER for the equity ETFs is 0.64 and for the entire portfolio is 0.38.

I use the ETFs above that are sector ETFs (like HHL, NNRG, XIT) as my proxy for the sector and am ok with the trade off of paying fees for a sector ETF instead of having lots of stocks.

I then add my individual stock selections to achieve my targeted Asset Allocation for the entire portfolio (like AD, BCE, FTS, GSY, RY, NWC, PBH, TRP, WSP, etc). I weight each of these relative to my risk tolerance.

Does this make sense to you? Does my "sector ETF" make sense, especially with a potentially large weighting in one ETF. Virtually all of my ETFs are capped at around 7% of the equity portfolio and the stocks are capped at 5% max.

Your thoughts on my strategy and on my MER....thanks...Steve

Q: Hello Team,
Could you comment on ZWEN please. Thinking about parking $ for 1-2 years, wile collecting 9%. What is the downside in the current environment? Can you recommend something else if this is not a good idea.
Thanks!

Q: what do you think of a switch from enb.pr.f to zwc for same div but more growth ?thanks Phil

Q: Lots of comments around that there may not be a lot of upside to the Telcos. And we know that covererd call etfs`s also have built-in limited upside. Any thoughts on swapping Telus for a covered call etf for income?

Q: This is more of a response to Stephen regarding his question about Zwc-I am also retired and purchased Zwc in the fall of 2017. I purchased the units around 19.50 when the tsx was around 16,500. Currently the units are close to 17.00 however the tsx is close to 21,000. My dividend paid since 2017 far out way the capital loss currently however I am speculating that over time the market will continue to rise as it has over the past many decades. Eventually I expect to get my capital back and perhaps a little more-no guarantees so I will keep my fingers crossed