skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi, ServiceNow stock, a large US Enterprise Digital Solutions provider company, dropped 12%, Today, after CEO's comments, last evening on Mad Money, warning about the macro headwinds faced by a continuously extra strong US Dollar, by Technology companies, particularly those with large enterprise customers, around the world. Some of the comments are as below:

" You’re at 41-year high inflation. The dollar right now is the highest it’s been in over two decades. We have interest rates rising. People worried about security. You’ve got a war in Europe. So, the mood is not great,” McDermott said in an interview that aired on “Mad Money” after the closing bell on Monday.

“You’re going to see the headwind of the dollar right now against well-known technology brands,” the CEO added. “No one’s going to outrun the currency right now.”

Shares of ServiceNow, which helps companies and organizations digitize their workflows, fell 13% on Tuesday after McDermott’s comments, which were meant as an overall industry observation, not ServiceNow-specific news due to the company being in a quiet period ahead of reporting its latest quarterly earnings on July 27. "

“When you think about energy, and the dislocation caused by the war in Europe, and this reprioritization I’m talking about, you’re going to see longer cycles [to close deals] in Europe. We saw that,” McDermott said. “But this doesn’t fundamentally change the narrative that tech is the only way to cut through the crosswinds.”

The reprioritization he’s referring to is the increase in demand for a fast return-on-investment — another symptom of cautiousness in the current environment.

“There’s a new level or prioritization in the enterprise. And I have seen this, actually since we last met, Jim, hitting a new gear. Where companies are first saying ‘which platforms do we want to bet on,’” and then try to sort their priorities, McDermott said.

“There’s one filter on all of this now. And that is fast return on investment. And if you can’t put an architecture in there that gives the customer a fast ROI, chances are, you’re going to get postponed,” he added.

Stifel said in a note on Tuesday that it believes the company is “likely” to lower their expectations when it reports earnings, citing McDermott’s comments on reprioritization. The investment bank also expects other companies across the industry to follow suit in the coming weeks.

There was chatter that Today's 4.10% decline in MSFT and 4.61% in Sales Force, which was ugly, was not company specific but in reaction to this macro warning,

Most large Technology will start reporting in a few weeks time.

Some strategists were seen on CNBC talking about the" Generals" being the last to drop and MSFT's sharp drop today was noticed by many.

Do you agree with above comments/sentiments ?

We are trying to assess, if these companies, in your view, are likely to be faced with similar headwinds - CSU ( worldwide revenues), TOI ( Europe) and SYZ ( >55% US rev ), for all those reasons. And if you think, they are not immune to this, is there any caution warranted, or is it prudent to reduce our exposure to a more reasonable level, at this time.

Thank You
Read Answer Asked by rajeev on July 13, 2022
Q: CSU and BEP.UN are graded A and are your only A grade companies in Canada. What might be an A grade company from the U.S. if you were to grade?

Thx
Read Answer Asked by blake on July 12, 2022
Q: What do you think about ASAN at these levels and valuation re-rating in the tech arena ! I am wondering if it will have a big bounce on any upcoming recovery, even if a brief bear market rally....to exit my final portion, or to keep for longer term growth recovery? Thx !
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on June 29, 2022
Q: Please provide me with 5 US large cap stocks you feel will have the best upside. Is it to early to get back into the market or would you wait until early October.
Read Answer Asked by Donna on June 27, 2022
Q: Please list some top quality names caught in this bad market, US or Canada. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Albert on June 27, 2022
Q: Are there 2 or 3 Canadian & 2 or 3 US stocks you would be interested in buying in the current downturn?

Would you buy now or wait until???

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Ross on June 15, 2022
Q: Hi,

As a follow up to your answer to Curtis's question. What are some of the better companies in the data analytics space?
Thank-you.
Read Answer Asked by Alex on June 10, 2022
Q: Hi

If I were to "go shopping" and sell XLP a defensive ETF. What would be be a few ideas for growth assuming we are never a bottom..
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on June 10, 2022
Q: Good morning. What would you recommend for an investment Canadian and US data analytics company or space? Thanks again.
Read Answer Asked by Danny-boy on June 10, 2022
Q: Hi Peter and team.
Significant losses in all of these over last 3-6 months. Would you bail out on any of them and what could I reinvest in 3 CDN and 3 US that have been similarly beaten down but have a better growth outlook ?
Personal account with a fair balance of 40% US securities currently.
Thanks for all the advice
Peter
Read Answer Asked by Linda on June 09, 2022
Q: Hi Peter/Ryan I don't have large American companies such as MSFT, GOOG AAPL or AMZN in either my RRSP or TFSA is there any benefit to having some in a RRSP or TFSA? Which of these or other suggestion would you recommend for either. Thanks Nick
Read Answer Asked by Nick on June 09, 2022
Q: Hi 5i Team - Would you consider any or all of Unity, Roku and Upstart as oversold. Also could you suggest a few U.S. stocks that may be oversold at this point - besides the possibility of the ones mentioned. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Rob on May 25, 2022
Q: Good morning Team, I am looking for proxy's for the 3 stocks mentioned with the plan to repurchase in 30 days, unless 5I suggests better options for the listed stocks.

Thanks Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on May 18, 2022
Q: I'm thinking of a Covered Call strategy on dividend paying US stocks. I know the dividends are treated differently in Canada, but I wanted stocks that offered weekly call options.

Are there any suggestions you have?
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on May 12, 2022
Q: Hi Team,
Atz beat earnings and things appear to be going strong on all fronts for the business…yet the stock tanks some more today. Is this one of those disconnects where an investor should be buying more shares ?
Also …with the brutal tech selloff what are some of todays choices to buy for potential multi bagger over the next few years once the carnage stops? Thanks!
Shane
Read Answer Asked by Shane on May 09, 2022
Q: I have a large position n nvda and think I should try to pair it down but it is very difficult to find fault with it going fwd. qcom is in a reasonable position. My question what would u suggest to replace a portion of nvda should I decide to sell some. Thanks as always.0
Read Answer Asked by Maureen on March 28, 2022
Q: Hi Peter,

Thanks for great service.
Which one has more potential in the next five years and beyond and why?
Will be held in RRSP with 20+ horizon.

Best,
Matt
Read Answer Asked by Matt on March 24, 2022
Q: Dear 5i Team,

If there was an option to totally liquidate all of the investments someone had and start with a clean slate, which 20 stocks US and Canada (10 each) would you recommend for a 10 year horizon?

Thank you for your advice as always,

Much appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Alka on March 11, 2022