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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: I currently invest through a full fee major bank broker and am considering switching back to an online brokerage account with the same bank. The cost saving is obvious, but what is not is the level of security of assets from potential loss due to hackers or by other means. Do you have an opinion as to the level of security provided by either alternative or what means an individual investor should take to protect themselves, particularly with regard to an online trading account?

If this question is not suitable for this forum can you refer me to articles on this subject?

Thank you for your comments
Read Answer Asked by Gail on June 30, 2016
Q: I am struggling to understand the relationship between dividends from common shares versus preferreds. I understand the the preferred shares will be paid before the common shares. However preferred shares do not participate in any future dividend growth rates. As an example National Bank common shares (trading at $44.09)are offering annual dividend of $2.20 (yield of 4.99%) .The recent issue of national bank preferred NA.PR.A issue price of $25 offer dividend of $1.35 (yield of 5.4%). If the div on common were to grow by a modest 3% over the next 5 years the dividend would be $2.55 or 5.78% surpassing the preferred shares by almost .4%. Historically the div growth rate had been 10.5% which would make the case to own the common shares more compelling.
The argument that can be made for preferreds is when the company becomes distressed the dividends on the preferreds would be paid first. However is the protections really of values as both the share price of the common and preferred will most likely fall when the company is in distress.

My question is how do you calculate the breakeven between common versus preferred shares when looking at the dividends.

Regards...Antoine
Read Answer Asked by Antoine on June 30, 2016
Q: Hi 5i. I just read an article at pbs.org about the growing monetary bubble and its eventual unwinding which is supposedly inevitable given the unprecedented level of money creation in the world that is going on. What is your take on the subject? Do you agree that a day of reckoning is inevitable, and what would it look like? Doesn't Econ 101 say we should be seeing escalating inflation if this is the case? What would be the best defence to protect savings in a bad scenario?

Deduct questions as you see fit. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Rick on June 30, 2016
Q: Earlier this year your team did a portfolio review for me. Thanks for that as I am much more diversified now (and a bit smarter). I own ESL and would like your opinion on switching to CSU?
Read Answer Asked by Danny-boy on June 30, 2016
Q: I have trimmed my real estate holdings to 10% of my stock portfolio with 5% in each CIG and FSV. However, I am wondering if I should be taking into account my commercial & residential real estate outside of my stock portfolio? They do generate monthly income and I don't want to sell the properties. Perhaps I should not hold any real estate in my stock portfolio?
Read Answer Asked by stephen on June 30, 2016
Q: Hi 5i team

I am transitioning my stock port to more look like your balanced growth one. I have MG as of today plus BNS,ENB ALA HR.UN , BEP.UN, AAPL DIS GOOGL NA IGM TD G SLW THO SU CPG POT and very small amounts (under 1% ) in a few dogs TV AVO ESN. Any point in dumping TV and/or AVO at 50% loss? I am over 20% cash and would like your suggestion on any other sells plus which names from your list to consider adding.

Thanks a lot
Read Answer Asked by Greg on June 30, 2016
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