Investment Q&A

Q: 5i Research Company Updates of April 4, 2016:
Well, we will get the bad news out first. As most Members know, the CEO of Amaya Inc. (AYA, Rated B+) has been charged with insider trading and has stepped aside from his duties. The issue has been well discussed in our Q&A section. We still consider the stock 'buyable'. Stepping aside was the right thing to do, but we are taking AYA out of our Model Balanced Equity Portfolio. There is still potential, but we think we can do better for the portfolio. We certainly see it as a 'high maintenance' name, and portfolio stocks we think need to be less volatile than AYA. Plus, if there is indeed a $21 bid mounted by the ex-CEO, the upside from current prices is limited.

Notwithstanding the ex-CEO is presumed innocent, taking AYA out of the Model Balanced Equity Portfolio is meaningful.
Would you now advise staying clear from Amaya for the time being, even with a rating B+ ?

In comparison, would you view Cineplex (CGX), recently maintained at A-, as a clearly better choice ?

Q: Hi, I watched this co. for past few years since it was mentioned by Jason Donville 2/3 yrs ago when it was trading around $15-$16, but failed to act. It has been rated highly for some time by your team, so despite its sharp price rise over past 6 months, I decided to finally act and bought half position, after stock was added to your Balanced portfolio, this week. My dilemma is whether I should wait for a pull back to add to full 5% position. Interestingly, stock is already trading above most analyst' 12 months price targets, the only exception being TD with $60 target ( pre C&C acquisition). Thanks

Q: Hi, I have been thinking of adding a restaurant stock to my portfolio after I divested Diversified Royalty and Cara Ops. I reviewed MTY and just came across Imvestor Restaurants Group, when it was discussed on BNN, Friday as a top Pick by Brandon Caldwell. How would you compare the two on various metrics like, financial strength, management, dividend and future growth prospects (by acquisition and organic growth)? In one of your comments, you mentioned that MTY missed on St-Houbert purchase (by Cara). Which one, in your view is more undervalued today and holds lower risk for a long term hold? Thanks

Q: I retired, hold a diversified portfolio and keep reinvesting the income. I am intending to buy on margin within a reasonable amount to profit from the spread.
What is your advise.
I am looking for three solid Canadian low beta good dividend paying stocks.
Any suggestion
Thank you
Raouf

Q: What is the current status of Central vs Sprott and is it safe to buy some CEF.A at this time or would Osisko be a better bet?

Q: Worth buying? Thx

Q: Is this a good entry point for a small new buy?Read your recent comments.Occupany @ 91.5%--is this too high? What percentage of revenue from Alberta & its effect.Appreciate your usual great services & views,.

Q: hi

I have about 20K to invest in stocks. I have been thinking about investing in the companies listed in the balanced portfolio. So the only stocks I would own would be the ones listed in the balanced portfolio, what are your opinions on this? Are there any other companies that would be a good addition to the list as well?
I already have money in fixed incomes.
thanks in advance,

Q: Thinking of buying a small position in Irg.Please provide your opinion.Thanks for your usual great views & services

Q: I lived through the BreEX scam and promotion. Kind of watched the GXI Guestlogix episodes. Now watching PHM.So many companies are well promoted and pushed. The analysts are not infallible and listen to the company lines. If it makes sense, we take a look.
My question is simple. PHM has a business. Management is changing. Is it a viable, potentially good company that can survive and prosper? Or is it likely to end up like GXI.
My take on BreEx was that it was totally dishonest. GXI was incompetence by management. How about PHN looking forward 2 -5 years.

Q: I recently took my remaining profit from AYA (for a total return of 170% - thanks 5i!) and am looking to reinvest that money in my TFSA.

I currently own BNS, CGX, CSU, ENB, STN and T and was wondering if you had any favourites you would add to this mix.

Q: I have about $5000, market value of BAD in a TFSA would it be better to sell and use the proceeds to buy SIS or something more likely to increase in the shorter term, or just hang in. The current loss is 20%. Thanks.

Q: In your reply to Andrew (today April 8) you mentioned considering replacing CNR with SIS. Just curious why in that SIS is thinly traded and is at a all time high today. I have been burned by several small cap stocks lately (eg. PHM) and want to learn from my mistakes (i.e. stop buying small caps at their highs). I have owned CNR for some time and it has been good to me. I like SIS but with its large upward movement recently do you think the risk level has increased significantly? Thanks.

Q: Hi team, I've held Exco for a year and am just a smudge above water with it... I wonder if you have any sense of its future upside? The dividend alone is not enough to keep me in the game... Your thoughts? Thanks! Kate

Q: Hi guys, I have both ADW.A and ADW.B (not sure why -- mistake on my part?) The stock has done very well but today, ADW.B is down 10.5% while ADW.A continues to trickle up as usual. Can you tell me why there would be such a difference? Thanks!

Q: Hi Peter and Team,

Is there anything new regarding GS? It's been very volatile lately and is down over 6% at the present time. Is the ongoing dispute involving the founders still in play?

Thanks as always for your timely advice and keeping us on an even keel.

Q: Thanks for your prompt reply and comments regarding my previous PHM post. I love this site.
To clarify what I should have said in ending: "the downside is thirty cents which brings the stock to zero, or a 100% decline, while the upside remains to be seen but has potential for multiples of the present thirty cent price".
OK, the moratorium begins now:).
Thanks.

Q: Until now Keith Richards at ValueTrend was the only technician posting regular blogs about the TSX. There's a new kid on the block, for those interested in charts (Taylor Dart):
http://setyourstop.ca/tsx-turnaround-possible-weighing-daily-weekly-charts-direction/

Q: Does 5I know much about cgy.I understand it is relatively small with a markrt cap. of only 145m.and technology based.What is your assesessment on management and their growth prospects? surprisingly pays a nice dividend of over 5%. Is this company a possible investment?
Cheers
Cal

Q: It is, of course, audacious to disagree with you considering your enviable success record and experience but I can't come to terms with your defensive posture regarding the fair and detailed member question concerning the rise and subsequent fall in PHM's share price. PHM revenues were $70M in 2015 and guided to about $130M this year - lower than originally expected. How many other companies in your universe would you eliminate from your portfolio if this was the case? I think you are being influenced by the stigma rather than the fundamentals and have no reason to be defensive about dropping this company. First, no stock picker is perfect and second, who could have anticipated the avalanche that has consumed this company?
PHM is strictly a noise story. Period. The two new bosses have hunkered down and not made themselves available to combat the negativity this stock is experiencing. Good for them. Results should be the only barometer.
Every guest on BNN, except Ryan, has slammed the stock. The call-in show host inevitably pipes in , unsolicited, to add the medicare reduction while never adding a positive comment about a company that has had only one revenue reduction quarter in it's entire history. Inevitably, as soon as a caller asks about PHM, within a nanosecond, hundreds of thousands of shares appear on the sell side as short sellers stalk this company, taking advantage of the stream of undefended comments. At the end of the trading day, hundreds of trades transpire within the last few moments. There is a concentrated effort, taking advantage of this hysteria, to drive the share price into oblivion.
I was glad you dropped PHM and I wish BNN would declare a temporary moratorium on questions. Give them a year and we will see a company whose share price reflects the fundamentals rather than the noise. I am joining my suggestion by refraining from commenting again on this stock for 12 months. It's just time to let the company emerge from the cloud and see if they can prove their worth to investors. The downside is now thirty cents. What is the true value of a $130M revenue generating company? We'll see and good luck to fellow patient investors who see value in what is really a great idea - servicing seniors as their health declines.