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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: In discussing buying CSU in less-than-board-lot quantities, you said that "there can be some higher bid/ask spreads, so one needs to enter trade orders carefully." Perhaps this needs to be stated more plainly: *if* you want to buy less than a board lot, *then* set a limit price (i.e., don't buy 'at market'.)

But I know of no other constraint on small-lot trading. I have bought single shares of GOOG and AMZN with the same trading fees as would apply to penny stocks, and been filled at or below my limit price. For that matter, I now find it easier to scale my bids by dollar value than by share count. Much of the mythology around board lot trading seems to be just that: a myth.
Read Answer Asked by John on September 29, 2017
Q: Just a comment. You recommend without caveat HFR as a short term hold for cash. This ETF does fluctuate and with just a 2.1% payout annually can negate this modest payout, just like any other equity. I held this for a year and broke even on distributions/capital gain but paid higher taxes on the distributions than the capital gain so overall lost on a full year hold. This is not for short term holds any more than BCE would be.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on September 28, 2017
Q: As a follow up question to that asked by Mary Ann about the ten "forever" stock ideas. You indicated a few names could be added to the list and I was interested if you could provide a few of the names you think could be added.
Read Answer Asked by Graham on September 28, 2017
Q: Have been waiting for CXI shares to do something for a couple of years now. Do you think ECN offers more potential at this point or should I at least wait until CXI reports near the end of the year given that the summer is their busy time and last quarter was very good.

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on September 28, 2017
Q: 3:05 PM 9/27/2017

I have been looking at Extendicare as a source of slow growth and a good dividend, but I have a number of questions about the company that you may be able to answer.

1. What happened in May 2013 when the company cut the monthly dividend from 7 cents to 4 cents? In the same year Revenue dropped from $2,037 million in 2012 to $784 million in 2013 and Operating Income was cut in half.

2. Morningstar shows Equity of $135 million and Debt of $533 million. Can you explain these figures as they relate to Market Cap of $823 million?

3. What is the actual current $ debt, and Debt/Cashflow, and is it unacceptably high?

4. What do you think of management and do you forsee any problems ahead for the company other than inflation and minimum wage increases.

5. Do you have any concerns about the company's ability to continue paying the 4 cent a month 5.2% dividend?

6. INK insider shows that there has been good net insider buying in the last year at EXE with the CEO almost doubling his holding to 240,000 shares with rights to an additionsl 197,000+ shares. In contrast I note that Directors at Sienna have sold nearly 200,000 shares of SIA in the last year. Does this hint at trouble at Sienna and better days ahead for Extendicare?

7. Would you consider EXE's dividend any more or less reliable that those of SIA or CSH.UN? I currently have a 1% position in EXE.

8. Would adding new Money to my 1% position in EXE for the dividend, be a complement to my positions in SIA [4%] and in CSH.UN [3%]?

Thank you very much............ Paul K.

Read Answer Asked by Paul on September 28, 2017
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