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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: Close to retiring and have to live off my investments, which today is 100% equities. Bonds are not paying anything. Would it be a good idea to sell 50% of equities and buy Prefered shares, many having12% yield? Understanding if not recalled hold forever and pass on to my estate. How about !00% preferred for income.?
Thanks
Cec
Read Answer Asked by Cecil on March 23, 2020
Q: Thank you to all at 5i for all your efforts and guidance.
I am contemplating some tax loss selling and would like your input regarding the following,
sell ENB, PPL, SYZ and replacing in order with TRP, KEY and ABT. After 30 days I will consider (and probably) revert back to ENB and PPL. Not sure if I will do the same with ABT back to SYZ.
Comments, suggestions input please (suitability of replacements, plan to revert back, etc.) that will help me move forward. I like to buy, hold and rebalance as necessary but I can use the tax losses to good advantage. Retired income investor with 3 to 4 years already covered as this plays out.
Thank you so much for your help!
Read Answer Asked by Brian on March 23, 2020
Q: Just to alert your readers: there seem to be two Zoom's out there and one of them was a penny stock that has some pretty wild and expensive trading. You've been correct in noting that ZM is the correct one. Do you think ZM is currently too risky for this market? A lot of companies seem to be using Zoom for online communication, and it seems to work pretty well.
Read Answer Asked by Ed on March 23, 2020
Q: Hi 5i,

We own NVDA in our RRSP on the USD side and want to increase our stake by 2%. We would then have a 4% position. We are contemplating the benefits to sell this position on the US side of our RRSP and buy it in our TFSA (now that we have room) or purchase it in CDN funds to benefit if the CDN dollar drops.

Do you have any recommendations?

Debbie and Jerry
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on March 23, 2020
Q: Pipeline companies normally employ take or pay contracts with its customers. However, pipeline stock prices tend to mirror the price of WTI. Is there a reason for this dichotomy?

Ken
Read Answer Asked by ken on March 23, 2020
Q: Hi team - I was hoping to get your general thoughts on leveraging during this time of turmoil. Some of the Cdn banks are throwing off significant yields, CIBC for example 8.09% at the time of writing. I can't find any info on when they last cut their dividends even during the 2008 crisis. I'm considering using my HELOC at 3.45% (interest payment s only) and buying one of the banks and collecting the difference between the yield and interest charges. As well, writing off the interest payments next year as carrying charges in a non registered account and thinking the stock will grow in value over the next year or so. Is this a sound strategy or should I shake my head, your thoughts? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by William on March 23, 2020
Q: Thanks for all your hard work during this uncertain period.

I'm transferring conservative Mutual fund monies (to get out from under their fees) over to Questrade.

I want to keep that money conservative. I'm not drawing back, but just trying to keep my allocation.

I've read that similar bond ETFs are not the best way to go forward. Some recommend cash, even US cash but this seems too fearful.

Please recommend an ETF option for this situation.


Read Answer Asked by Kevin on March 23, 2020
Q: Hi Peter & 5i,
Thank you for all your professional advice with your years of experience and calmness during this market turmoil.
My question is about bonds.
I have a portion of my fixed income in CBO.
Currently a retail investor can pick up some fixed income bond/debenture from the above mentioned banks with longer term maturities (say 2028 to 2030, they are callable between 2024 and 2026) with a 4% interest rate at current valuations (which are below $100). Even if they did get called then you would get the capital gain and the better interest rate for 4 to 6 years.
Do you think it would make sense to sell a bit of CBO and buy a few of these bank instruments in the current environment?
Your opinion is much appreciated. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on March 23, 2020
Q: If I look at REITS for quick valuations, I cannot use the same metrics (debt is high, they can trade well below book - especially now!) as with other companies. Leaving aside sector (and sub-sector i.e. oil vs. healthcare property holdings) related risk, what would be the key financial metric or three that one should look at and what are good levels for these? Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by Alex on March 23, 2020
Q: XBB, HFR and FLOT have not held up well during this challenge. Can you suggest some liquid bond ETF's that will simply stay flat and pay a modest dividend?
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on March 23, 2020
Q: Realizing that all the above listed securities differ, they all got battered like everything else. Your opinion would be appreciated as to slowly buying into these positions and your preferred ordering.
Thank you, as always!
Read Answer Asked by Sigrid on March 23, 2020
Q: Considering buying US large caps ETF when things turn more positive.
To hedge or not to hedge with the Cdn$ having fallen so much largely but not only because of the Russia/Saudi war on the price of oil - which will get resoved. I understand under normal circumstances your preference for not hedging.
Thanks for your great service especially during these uncomfortable times.
Read Answer Asked by bill on March 23, 2020
Q: I'm looking for tax-loss harvesting guidance with some ETFs. Can you provide alternatives to hold for XEF, XEC, and VUN that would likely be accepted by the CRA as non-wash? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on March 23, 2020
Q: 5i had answered a similar question back in November, however I would appreciate it if you could revisit the question in light of today's environment. Between the Premium Brands Holdings an Maple Leaf Foods, which do you see as having better potential for growth? Is debt an issue with either?

Your answer in November had been "PBH is now bigger than MFI, is cheaper on valuation, has better growth potential, and recent earnings/outlook were far better. It would be our choice today."

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Cory on March 23, 2020
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