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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: Good Afternoon
I am attempting to diversify away from NVDA due to its large percentage of my holdings. I also have good gains in both NBIS and VRT although I am comfortable with their current weighting and both have room to grow. Assuming all 3 will somewhat move in unison does it make more sense to pick a non AI related stock rather than add to NBIS and VRT? If that is the case can you give me suggestions on what to add?
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Marty on August 20, 2025
Q: Thoughts on the current overall market and going forward 1-2 years? I just read Howard Marks latest memo and he is cautious at these levels based on over valuation and many other speculative factors that are often discussed here. I have a very growth weighted portfolio and high embedded gains. I am a long term investor but would like to mitigate any large drawdowns when a correction comes to preserve gains. Currently my more defensive holdings are COST, DOL, ATD, IFC. Currently holding no utilities. I also hold large anchor names such as CSU, LMN, BN, BKNG, AXON, and WSP. What are your top defensive names?

If I trim my tech, I assume adding to DOL, ATD, COST, IFC be more defensive. I know you've mentioned these names as other good defensive names as well, COST, PG, ABBV, L, ATD, FTS, H, ENB, FTS, BEPC, H, SLF, RY, TD, GRT.UN, T, L, BAM.

Or would buying some covered call ETF's that offer some good yield reduce the drawdown.
Which are your top covered call ETF's? Or adding to some of these defensive ETF's would be good too? Defensive US etf'S: VDC, VPU, VHT

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on August 19, 2025
Q: I'm going through some portfolio trimming. If restricted to 10 growth stocks today, what would be your choices?
Read Answer Asked by Rick on August 13, 2025
Q: My son currently has Meta (META), Nebius (NBIS), Amazon (AMZN), and EIF Corp (EIF) in his TFSA, plus an ETF (ZSP) for some diversity. It’s a small portfolio but he really wanted to hold some individual stocks and not just ETFs. Would you be comfortable adding Nvidia (NVDA) and Axon (AXON) at current prices? They are two of my favorite stocks in my non-registered account but I know the prices have really run up. Would you have any better suggestions? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Kim on August 07, 2025
Q: The last earnings report was somewhat disappointing with regards to its outlook. What is your current take on this name? It is currently one of three US names I own in my TFSA. Would you recommend to hold or sale and move onto another name? If the later, what would you recommend for a purchase today (considering today's prices for an entry point).
Read Answer Asked by Patrik on August 05, 2025
Q: I hold partial positions in listed stocks. I would like to reduce and have a more concentrated sector holdings. Please advise those that can be dropped in favour of increasing the remainder and adding XLI for larger industrials. Could you rank with weights. What sector weight would you advise for total US and Cdn industrials? Thanks
My last question about ranking my industrial sector holdings, I omitted to add HEI and TDG. Hope you could add to your reply. THx
Read Answer Asked by sam on July 28, 2025
Q: In an otherwise diversified TFSA - I'm looking at adding a small (aggressive) position - given the current price on some of the above and many recent questions/comments on others - I've come up with some candidates.

Can you give me your thoughts on which one(s) you might choose?

Thanks,

Terry
Read Answer Asked by Terry on July 25, 2025
Q: I hold a number of Small/Mid Cap stocks. Some have done really well and others have done good. Given that Small/Mid caps in general have had a good run would you be trimming these positions? Position suze is not an issue.

Thanks
Tim
Read Answer Asked by Timothy on July 23, 2025
Q: I have a portfolio of 25 individual stocks (diversified among most sectors) with no ETFs. Within this portfolio I own companies that trade in CAD and the US but have operations and/or varying degrees of revenue in other countries such as CLBT, AXON, TOI, VHI, UBER, BKNG, WSP, TRI, BN and some of the MAG 7 with their worldwide reach such as GOOG. I often wonder if this is adequate international exposure for a healthy portfolio or should I have a specific international ETF?
I have not been a fan of ETFs due to the often wide exposure that can include "the best along with less than the best" (and they are boring, :), haha). But for long term growth and healthy diversification I often consider opening a position in an international ETF such as VIU.
But then I face my conundrum. In the past 5 years the return on VIU has been 41.4% (Yahoo Finance). Perhaps my expectations are out of line, but I would not be happy (and I would be bored, :), ) with the same return from VIU in the next 5 years. Even a conservative Canadian bank with some international operations such as RY has done 90% in the past 5 years (Yahoo Finance). It seems to me that I must give up too much possible growth in order to achieve a healthy level of international diversification through the instrument of an international ETF.
Perhaps this is a conundrum that need not be solved, but do you have any thoughts that may lead to a wiser investment perspective or a needed tempering of my expectations?
As always, thank you for your excellent service.
Cal
Read Answer Asked by Calvin on July 17, 2025
Q: My question is about creating our RRIF portfolios.
Question 1: Country Allocation given US policy to depreciate USD, would you advise to OW CAD, 50-65% CAD allocation, 25-30% US and 10-20 ex NA [including EM]? What would you advise re allocation
Question 2: Please populate stocks and ETFs, with suggested target return that you consider achievable.
If you would, please suggest a few stocks that could give a boost to return in replacement of others.
Much obliged. I have 53 credits so this is important to me and prepared to use as many as you deem appropriate. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by sam on July 16, 2025
Q: With the run of NVDA over the last few year I now have a HUGE position in the stock and need to trim it.
Can you suggest 5 Canadian or US companies that could be the next NVDA in the next 5+ years and their growth and risk as well as any other details you may have on the companies.

Thanks
Joe
Read Answer Asked by Joe on July 15, 2025
Q: When talk all started about Trump and tariffs I cashed out of the market and have been sitting on the side lines. I realize the BS is far from over but am thinking on getting back in. What top 5 CAN and top 5 US picks be for a TFSA account. Looking to hold for 3 yrs.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on July 14, 2025
Q: Hello 5i Team,

What are your top 12 growth-oriented US stocks to buy in a TFSA for a 3-5 year hold?

Thanks in advance for your always helpful advice!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on July 14, 2025
Q: Which industrials in Canada and US are worth buying at the moment?
Read Answer Asked by Peter on July 14, 2025
Q: Axon, Crwd,Vrt dropped over 5% today, any reason or is it just A-I exhaustion?
Read Answer Asked by Terry on July 10, 2025