Investment Q&A

Q: Do you know of a good free portfolio tracker? I'd like to be able to track historical performance and have it properly handle stock splits and dividends. I've been using google finance but it doesn't seem to deal with dividends properly and also messed up the stock split on CNR.

Thanks,
Rob

Q: Hello Peter and team. I want to add a Canadian integrated oil/gas player to my portfolio. Any recommendations? I am thinking of Suncook energy, your thoughts. Thank you

Q: What are your thoughts on International Forest Products (Interfor) for a play on US housing at this time?

Q: Seasons Greetings 5i I was reading the news release from Husky Energy HSE from Dec.11 under Corporate Developments it read " The board of directors has decided to discontinue the payments of dividends by way of the issuance of common shares " What exactly does that mean. I contacted the investor relations but they haven't responded yet, I had contacted them some time ago about the dividend policy and they said the dividend won't be looked at until 2016 after some of the major projects are finished. Thx Gerry

Q: Hello Peter and the 5I team
I was wondering about buying a high yield oil stock I was considering BNE. My short list is CPG, BTE, BNE, COS, WCP.....I already own some WCP, would you just add to that position ( it is approximately a 3.5% holding now. My oil holdings are about 10% of total in my portfolio)? How do you think BNE stacks up against the other ones? What are your thoughts on BNE? If you don't like BNE what stock would you like?

Thanks

Q: Hello 5i team
Copied from various press releases and news stories:
Fiera Capital Corporation (FSZ) completed its acquisitions of Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC as well as Wilkinson O'Grady & Co., Inc. last October. The purchase price is US$156.25 million, including US$115 million in cash (part of which will be held in a three-year escrow) plus US$10 million by issuing new Fiera Class A subordinate voting shares over a 32-month period.

The purchase price was financed using the net proceeds from the Firm's previously announced C$105 million private placements of a total of 9,781,000 subscription receipts from treasury with each receipt priced at $10.75. Of that total number of Subscription Receipts, Fiera issued 6,696,000 Subscription Receipts, on a private placement bought deal basis. In addition, Fiera issued 3,085,000 Subscription Receipts, on a private placement basis to National Bank of Canada who will ante up $31.4-million to maintain its ownership stake at 35% of Fiera.

As the subscription receipts were sold on a private placement basis, the Class A Shares are subject to a statutory resale restriction until January 19, 2014. The Subscription Receipts, together with the Class A subordinate voting shares issued, are subject to a four-month plus one day statutory resale restriction ending on January 19, 2014.

My question is : I want to take a 3% position in Fiera. With the big share issue, and the subscription receipt price at C$10.75 [current share price is C$13.64], and the 3 year escrow issuing shares over a 32-month period, plus the statutory resale restriction ending on January 19, 2014, will this put strong downward pressure on Fiera's share price? Would you be a buyer right away as the price is currently down 13% from it's 52-week high, or can we anticipate a further 5-10% correction in the share price in the months ahead?

Thank you for answering all my questions.... Paul

Q: My wife wants to increase her US position. Is PRF better than VYM or VIG? I think VYM is better but I would like to know your opinion.

Regards

Q: In regards to LGT.B Martin Mittelstaedt covered (recommended)the company on May 29, 2012 edition of the Globe & Mail. He stated the company has not had a profitless year since going public in 1969. Mr Mittelstaedt recommended the stock @ $19.51 so he made a good call.

He stated that the president, Ms Paquin, was appointed the new acting chair of CP. Is there any concern with Ms. Paquin being "spread too thin" with her chairmanship of CP? Will her relationship with CP drive new business to LGT.B?

I am thinking of selling BMO to buy LGT.B. It would increase my transportation weighting to about 9%. (3% ALC, 3% HNZ.A and 3% LGT.B). Does this make sense - I am overweight in financials.

Regards

Q: CNE- What are your thoughts on Canacol with its recent drill results and future drilling program. I am wondering if I should add to my position. Thanks

Q: I have an income oriented portfolio (mostly dividend stocks) I am concerned about the potential for rising interest rates to negatively impact its value. I am considering investing in an inverse bond eft to hedge against this. I am thinking to take a position of 25%. What are your thoughts on this
Thank you!

Q: (Just trying to use-up my 24 questions!)
LIF moved-up 7.7% this week according to the Globe. I see LIF declared a dividend but the move seems too much for just the dividend. Metals seemed stronger last week. Is there any reason for the move?

It smells to me of insider trading...but this is just speculation on my part.

Regards

Q: What are your thoughts on Air IQ as an investment? Symbol IQ

Q: Could you provide your current views on Medical Facilities Corp (DR)

Q: Would you be able to provide an opinion on HSBC Holdings plc(ADR)
Thanks again for your comments.

Q: Who will benefit from the post office cut backs, mailboxes delivery
Tom

Q: hello Peter:
a general market evaluation question if I could:
S&P earnings are up around 7% this year, while the market is up 26.6%. Are we that much overvalued, or am I missing something?
thanks
Paul

Q: Peter & all
What is your opinion on TGZ in the light of the recent arrangements made with Franco Nevada?

Q: This is in response to Paul, regarding use of online brokerages.

For the record, I use TD Waterhouse and am reasonably satisfied with it.

I am familiar with Scotia's itrade, as well as BMO Investorline, and if I were to do it all over again, I'd probably choose BMO. Its platform is very clean and is not cluttered with external data that is not relevant to the portfolio. At a glance, (and again, without the "clutter") you can see exactly where you stand, without having to chase reports all over the site. Tabs at the top of the page direct you exactly to your choice of analysis tools. Their analysis tools and education segments are top notch.

Its wide variety of tools can help you analyze your portfolio, from asset allocation to choosing new/emerging stocks, and markets. It has tons of information available at your fingertips! This is what I enjoyed most as a "newbie" investor a few years ago, and which helped me tremendously.

As I mentioned, I am with Waterhouse, and am reasonably satisfied with it, but its platform, I find, is not as user-friendly as is BMO. For a new investor, I would suggest that BMO might be the better choice. TD and Scotia are also good, but in my opinion, would be better for someone who is used to some amount of trading and is comfortable with the jargon and the process. These two platforms, again speaking personally, are more intimidating to the new user than BMO.

BMO has excellent service for newbies, but also provides great advanced tools which you don't necessarily get on other sites, for no charge.

TD's new Advanced platform is intriguing, but it will come with a fee, unless you are a more active trader.

Only my two cents worth, if it helps ...

Q: Scotia iTrade vs BMO Investorline. I have the latter and could not be happier, at $9.95 a trade, and with more information and advice than I could have ever imagined. Updates on our portfolio value by the minute as well as the value of stocks that I'm looking at seriously, detailed info on any stock, advice from all the prominent investment groups, banks, etc. I'm sure that the Scotia product is also very good, but do check them both out carefully.

Q: A very general question- to find info on companies I used to go to msn.money- then I sort of moved over to yahoo finance- what site would you recommend. I am looking for the basics a price chart that goes back 5yrs minimum, the financial statements, maybe earning history-same a min of 5yrs...