Investment Q&A

Q: Retired, conservative dividend-income investor with a "buy-and-hold & trim-add around a core position" strategy. At times like these, I take a fresh look at my holdings and ask two key questions. #1 = are there any of my equity holdings that have alarm bells going off? #2 = how safe are the dividends (knowing that no dividend is 100% secure)? The portfolio capital may rise or fall, but it is the continuation of the dividend that is more important.

For asset allocation purposes related to individual stocks (as opposed to sector allocations), I use the following:
5% targets = AQN, BCE, BNS, PBH, RY, TRP, WSP
4% targets = AD, AW, CSH, NWC
2% targets = LNF, MG, NTR
ETF targets = roughly 3-7%

Q#1 = are there any of these equities that you hear alarm bells?
Q#2 = are there any of these equities where you foresee dividend risk?
Q#3 = any thoughts on how I have my asset allocations set up (knowing it is a very personal decision?

Take a bunch of credits. Thanks for your help...Steve

Q: Can you please tell my if 100% of ZWC monthly income received is eligible for the dividend tax credit?
Thanks!!

Q: Hello 5i
3 analysis requests per above : can you comment on these ETFs in regards to North American holdings overlap and geography overlap for the international exposure etfs (all are 1/2 to full positions). If you have replacement etf options please feel free to comment. Finally in regards to respective sector identification / allocation what would 5i recommend for the north american focused etfs (source the fund fact disclosure or simply enter as an index?) Thanks for the innovative hi level investment platform & your service.

Q: Hi. Given the current market and economic situation, what is your opinion of ZWC as part of an income portfolio for the next 12 months. I had thought of using both ZWC and XDV to generate some income. Thanks

Q: What percentage of a RRIF account would you recommend having exposed to a covered call strategy using ZWC, the said account has Enbridge, Superior plus, XTR and FIE, with the two latter having the largest percentage

Q: Could you please recommend 3 or 4 Monthly income ETF’s for a portfolio amount of $100,000 for a retired couple. We would divide the etf’s equally. Thank you
Sharron

Q: Hello i5 crew...I am repositioning my cash account for retirement dividends to supplement my RIF account withdrawals. I like the tax favoured Canadian dividends and have blended ZLB, ZWC and ZDV for that purpose. There is a lot out there and would like your suggestions for long term long term dividend generation. Thank you in advance...

Q: I have the above securities, as well as RBC Cdn Equity Inc, Sentry Cdn Inc, Sentry Global REIT, and fixed income via Fisgard Capital, Annuities, a company pension, CPP and soon-to-be OAS.

I really focus on asset allocation and am a little light on Consumer stocks, holding CGX, PBH and TCL (although some consider TCL to be in the Industrial sector). I am normally a buy-and-hold investor who trims-adds around core positions.

Question 1 = I am looking to add 1 more consumer stock and am looking for a dividend ideally > 3%. Based on my stock-ETF-MF mix, are there a few stocks you could suggest that would fit in my above set of securities.

Q2 = if I was to consider ideas from the Income Portfolio, is there an issue with having multiple food stocks....like PBH and A&W and NWC. Why have more than one food stock?

Q# = because A&W is a ".UN" company, how are their dividends treated for tax purposes? Are they eligible for the dividend tax credit?

Deduct as many credits as you deem appropriate....got loads and will never use them all up.

Thanks as always...Steve

Q: Hi 5I,
I am retired and living off my RIF. With the current volatility and market downturn, I am thinking of getting more defensive. My current holdings of ZWC, VVL, VUN and VEE are each about 8% of my RIF. I am thinking of switching ZWC for ZLB, switching VVL for VVO, switching VUN for VGG and switching VEE for VXC. What do you think of this strategy? Should I hold some and do nothing? Please explain your reasoning.
Thanks for your help and have a happy holiday season.
Dick

Q: Are these etf's better to be held in registered accounts for tax purposes. Since there will be ROC when sold, how difficult is it to calculate or are tax forms supplied with that info upon sale. I'd like yo add it to my non registered account to collect the nice dividends but worried about how to handle after a sale. Thanks

Q: Do you think recent pullback in ETF price is an opportunity for income investor? Thanks. Peter

Q: In reviewing ZWC distribution tax information for 2017, $.664 of the $1.12 distribution was deemed ROC with the remainder being eligible dividend. How is this possible? The ETF holds dividend paying companies. There is no operating business carried out that would have non cash items like depreciation that would constitute ROC. Gains realized on call writing would be capital gains. Where is this ROC coming from and is it cause for concern?

Q: I have the above securities as well as RBC Cdn Equity Inc-D shares, Sentry Cdn Income, Sentry Global REIT. I am a retired conservative dividend income investor with a company pension, CPP, annuities and Fisgard Capital for fixed income.

I currently own ECI and will sell and look for a Consumer stock to replace it (not interested in BIP...I have a full slate of Utilities). I filtered several candidates using fundamental metrics (P/E, beta, P/BV, P/CF, P/S) and technical metrics (200 dma, etc), as well as yield and price targets (for what they are worth).

I will keep my CGX and PBH. I'm looking for a long term hold (conservative, liquid stock with a good and growing dividend). My short list of candidates include CLIQ, CTC.a, PLC, TCL.A. I already flushed ADW.A, KBL, RSI and since I already have 1 food stock, I flushed L and NWC.

Please provide your insights into the appropriateness of these Consumer stocks (CLIQ, CTC.A, PLC, TCL.A) for my portfolio, given my circumstances and existing stock positions.

Are there other securities I should consider, even those that I have flushed?

Thanks for your help...Steve

Q: Hello,
How effectively can ZWC replace our ZWB and ZWU holdings?

Thanks for your efficient service and re assuring advice.
regards

Q: Currently which ETF's would you prefer purely for income? Thanks. Peter

Q: Hi,
Would you please rate: ZWU XUT ZWC (best first), for a 5 Years hold!
Thanks

Q: Hi 5i, In a previous Q/A you said "covered call ETFs can underperform in a bull market" can you please elaborate on this?.
Would you please rate: ZWU XUT ZWC (best first)
I own ZWU, but down 10%.
Thanks

Q: So if I'm seeking a 6% yield and wanted your one best pick for a safest both from an income as well as a capital preservation perspective ETF given current entry price which of these do I buy today why and is there another that you'd recommend instead - love - Ken

Q: Hi,

If you were pick for a long-term hold, RBC CANADIAN DIVIDEND FUND SERIES D or BMO CANADIAN HIGH DIVIDEND COVERED CALL ETF, which would you favour and why?

Thanks,

Craig

Q: Hi 5i:
For a first time investor with $25,000 to deploy and this is their only investments. What would your opinion be on the above etfs basically equally split between them. Time frame is long term and they would be in a TFSA.
Additional future investments would then be in individual stocks.
Thanks so much.