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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: Hi guys - you've mentioned a few times that the market has shifted from growth to value recently. Assuming we can't time the market with any consistency over the long term, how could someone who is dollar cost averaging take advantage of theses rotations in the future from an ETF perspective? Would it make sense to buy VUG (growth) and VTV (value) and actively purchase more when one fund is considered "down"? Is there a strategic way to determine which fund you would allocate more dollars to with each monthly purchase? Thanks for the guidance.
Read Answer Asked by Marc on April 07, 2021
Q: I have recently transferred my RSP as cash to a LIRA account in another institution. This is a substantial number waiting for investing. In less than 2 years I will need to start transferring to RIF.
I have a few questions
1. What is a period of time you recommend to spread the purchasing of investments.
2. In the meantime, I would like to park cash buying a short-term ETF. Should I get one such an ETF or more to reduce the risk? Which ETF or RTFs would you recommend: ZCS, XSB, VSB, or other?
3. I am looking to have a 50/50 mixture of growth and income. Can you list several stocks, bonds, ETF etc. you would recommend to purchase at this time?

I appreciate your recommendation.
Casimir
Read Answer Asked by Kazimierz on March 15, 2021
Q: Given the state of the markets, what would some of your current favorite names be to add to a new RESP account for my son? I've set aside $10k to take a few stock positions early on (anticipated long term hold as he's a newborn) and then am thinking going forward I'll devote annual contributions to a more passive approach (boarder market ETFs, etc.).

With a smaller account like this diversification decisions seem a little more difficult. Any general suggestions on RESP considerations would also be appreciated.

Thanks for the great service!
Read Answer Asked by Jordan on March 10, 2021
Q: Hi team,

With 22 tech stocks weighting some 34% of my portfolio, I assume you would recommend that I rationalize my approach for a better diversification, both in my tech sector and in my portfolio as a whole.

To accomplish that, while keeping a strong growth approach, could you indicate which are, in your view, 1) the « must own » stocks, in order of importance 2) those which could be dropped because of « double emploi » or high risk, 3) those missing to properly cover the tech sector ?

Please feel free to use as many credits as you see fit.

Gratefully yours,

Jacques IDS
Read Answer Asked by Jacques on November 15, 2020
Q: I am down in XEI and ZRE about 20% and 25% respectively;
in DGRO 2%.
Do you think it is worth waiting for a turnaround or should I
look to exchange for something more hopeful?
Although DGRO is only down a bit it has never gone up.
Would something like VUG be more growthy?
I would appreciate your assessment.
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Sam on October 20, 2020
Q: Good day!

I've noticed a trend with respect to your recommendations for RESP ETF holdings with a longer timeframe (10-15yrs). You seem to like VGRO +/- IWO. I'm looking for growth and can tolerate risk. Currency doesn't matter.

VGRO has a 19.9% weighing of bond ETF's and the rest are a combination of other vanguard ETF's. In looking at performance since its inception, it lags behind IWO which often lags behind the S&P 500 ETFs. From a non-expert viewpoint it would seem that a combination of large and mid cap US/CAN ETF's would achieve similar purpose and improve returns by eliminating the bond component.

1. What am I missing re VGRO? is it that the bond component satisfies the usual 80/20 combination as an all-in-one and is simply easy?

2. If you were to improve the 'all-in-one' VGRO using a combination of ETF's, which US/CAN growth/index ETF's would you assemble to eliminate the bond component? Perhaps a combination of XIC, VFV/ZSP/VOO, VTI, VUG, ZQQ or others you think work better?

3. Out of the S&P 500 ETF's, do you have a preference between ZSP or VFV? Is there an advantage to holding the US listed SPY, IVV or VOO vs the Canadian-listed? and if so, which do you prefer?

4. If you were to devote 25% of the RESP to high potential equities, which would you choose?

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Bart on October 20, 2020
Q: Is there a Canadian listed Canadian dollar ETF that holds many of your USA favourite companies: NVDA, VEEV, DOC, MSFT, AMZN etc, etc.
If not is there a US ETF that holds a concentration of some of your favourite companies? Not just a sector ETF, but more focused on your favourites. Currently I'm only invested in Canada, and I want to invest, starting small, in some of the USA companies you are recommending, but, if possible with a bit of diversification.

Or if nothing exists, maybe I should just pick two, say NVDA and VEEV and invest in those in US dollars? Would those two be top of the list? It is for a small amount, about 5% of my portfolio.
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on October 02, 2020