Investment Q&A

Q: Hi, I assume this might be common among your readers. I have had 2 kinds of promo calls. One fellow calls periodically, offers a name, but no follow up, so it does not bother me.
The other call I received about a year ago there was a boiler pot operation going on in the States, calls were from NYC. Over the course of several calls, I got to know the fellow at some level. Their company was paid to elevate the stock price of various companies. So they had a system where they established a databank of customers. The deal was they would give out the tip and they knew how widespread the information was . You had to buy at the level. you received the information They would monitor your compliance by watching the block trades going thru . Of course, the price lifted as expected since their database was buying...then at some point outside people watching the technical indicators would see the stock rise and also buy in. The company would then give a call when to sell and sure enough it was like letting air out of a balloon since the stock rise was all based on hype and not quality. I never engaged this fellow beyond trying to find out how it worked since for me it is immoral . Some poor person is left buying high and getting stuck with valueless paper. I don't know if this is helpful.

Q: Hello again,
Further to my most recent Question, I just went into the Forums now and there is already a forum for Tax and FX strategies and some address Norbert's Gambit. Perhaps Youssef and others might want to engage in the forum and see if people can or will update FX strategies for them and the rest of us.
I am as guilty as anyone, but it is disappointing how little the Forums are used. I never thought to check them before posting when that is the first thing I should have done.
Cheers,
Mike

Q: Mike Rose (founder and CEO) has been buying TOU stock often during most down turns in the price over past months. What is your opinion of his continued buying of TOU stock? Sincere interest or merely a stunt to halt the slide? Other suggestions? Thanks.

Q: Hello,
I am thinking about buying VGRO for my RRSP account and have a question about management fees. According to Vanguard Canada website the management fee for this fund is 0.22%. However, the only holdings for VGRO are seven other Vanguard ETFs... will I be paying these 0.22% on top of management fees for these seven ETFs or this number is a weighted average of management fees for holdings?
In other words, if I buy a Vanguard ETF that holds other ETFs, will I be paying just the management fee for main ETF or I will indirectly pay management fees for both main ETF and "nested" ETFs?

Q: Hi 5i: You recently answered my second question on MEG Energy - specifically that it was trading at approximately 13% below the value of the Husky offer. It doesn't seem that this has changed much in recent weeks - and I don't think Husky has raised their bid. I don't want to own Husky, so based on documentation sent by RBC Direct, I have to chose between, (a) selling the shares in the next few days or, (b) a cash option that reads "To receive C$11.00 for each share of MEG Energy Corp tendered, subject to proration." [This option is for "Non-Electing Shareholders (Non U.S.) only. I am Canadian, residing in Canada, and I hold the MEG shares in my RRIF.] Could you advise which option I should select? I don't have the data to calculate the proration amount. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Roland T.

Q: Can you compare FCD.UN with FC with respect to risk and potential returns in the current interest rate environment ? Thanks, Joe

Q: I would be interested in adding an oil name at this point and wondering in what direction you would point me. It should be quite liquid, Canadian, worth over $5/share and be 'best in class' to handle whatever happens next in the oil market. Thanks!

Q: Is it a good time to buy one of the Canadian Banks?
And which one is your favorite choice.
Please rank. Thank you.

Q: In today's (Tuesday) Globe and Mail, there was an article about "covered bonds". Could you explain to me how these differ from the mortgage backed securities that lead, in part, to the 2008 financial meltdown?

Q: Greetings,

ATD is hitting all time highs - i have not seen anything that would be driving this. Have i missed something or is the stock price catching up with the acquisitions and growth?

Q: Hello 5i,
Today Youssef asked about converting $CAD to $USD and getting the best rate. I would suggest that in his research he look into Norbert's Gambit. I have just used it for the first time with RBC's Direct Investing and one thing I discovered that DI is fully aware of the process and actually seems to condone if not encourage it. When I needed some help with some of the technicalities of doing it, they were extremely good about assisting me.
Once my trades have settled and I find the time, I will be going over the numbers to determine for myself just how beneficial the process was in terms of the actual rate I received.
In a nutshell, the theory is that you gain by not paying the spread that the banks charge on CAD - USD FX but lose your trading costs - which should be a pittance as compared to the spread.
It is my understanding that RBC's D.I. is one of the better platforms for executing Norbert's Gambit, but that is only surmise.
Perhaps Youssef or others might want to open up a "Norbert's Gambit" topic on the Forum for further insights from other members?
Hope this is of some help....
Cheers,
Mike

Q: Good morning,
I'm 70 years old and with yet a new year upon us and a review of the holdings in my non reg equity portfolio, I'm concerned that my $650K non reg equity portfolio has slowly grown into a "hodge podge" of miscellaneous holdings that need to be trimmed, better concentrated (minimum 5% per holding) along with the addition of a few additional names in sectors that are not currently represented. My current holdings are as follows:
AQN (3.3%),BCE (11.6%)BAM.A(3.8%),CU (4.5%),DIV(2.8%),EMA (2.4%),KEY(2.2%),XIU(5.2%),XIC (33.2%),XDV(18.4%),SLF(3.6%),T(2.9%),T(2.9%),MAW120(3.1%)MAW102(3%).
I would very much appreciate your suggestions on how to best to adjust my current non reg equity portfolio to make it easier to manage and follow. I'm open to adding an appropriate mix of ETFs or Mawer equity funds as need be. My RRSP and TFSA are pretty much all populated with a mix of relatively low MER Mawer equity funds which have performed well over the years. I thank you in advance and look forward to hearing your sage advice and recommendations.
Francesco

Q: Good morning and HNY
My wife and I have several investment accounts ( two individual, one joint, one RIF, one RRSP, one LIRA, two TFSA). We recently retired and transferred from an advisor to self managing. My first question is how to allocate both sector and type of investment ( equity, prefs, bonds etc) given the different types of accounts. Should we look at the aggregates or each account individually. Second question. We have roughly 20% of our total worth in GIC’s, largely held in our RRSP/RIF/LIRA. Safe, for sure, but it seems we are just parking our money which is galling in retrospect as our advisor charged his normal fee for said parking. Are we better off with pref shares versus GIC’s. Our prefs have suffered recently with the interest rate increases and they are more “risky” than GIC’s, but having so much money parked is concerning. I would appreciate your suggestions. BTW, we have followed your service for the past year to gain confidence as has our neighbour.Thanks for providing an integrous platform.

Q: Which of these two do you like better for growth?

Q: Have $20,000 I would like to allocation outside Canada. Already receiving an average of 6% dividend return on my C$ portfolio. Not really looking for additional income , what do you think of the above or is there other ETFs I should research.
I have a small position in VGG. Maybe etf holding Amazon, PayPal but not a pure internet such as FDN.

Q: I am a 65 year retiree and I have app $22000. in a TFSA and I am looking at adding another $3000. Looking at an income portfolio. Can you make a suggestion as to how to balance my portfolio and add to my portfolio.

Q: I have in loss DOL,KXS,MG,SIS,TOY, NTR,I BELIEVE they will gradually recover but in your OPINION which weaker stocks in list I should sell and buy stronger for safety and taking
advantage of tax loss,By rolling in to better and more potential stocks,or any other not in my list?

Q: Is AMLP a buy for a RRSP account ? Thanks for this great service.

Q: would like your opinion vqs news today, i see
rev for 2019 projected $23 mln u.s. +130% over 2018,
growth through acquisition into u.s..
thanks

Q: Portfolio rebalancing: I am down about 30% on SIMO. Are there a couple of other US stocks that have significantly more upside potential than SIMO .... or are there good reasons to hold on?

This is inside a RIF. Sector weightings are not a concern.

Thanks.