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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: Open Text has performed well in the Growth Portfolio, and seems to have solid fundamentals with a 13.7 Forward P/E. I was surprised to see James Hodgins of Curvature Hedge Strategies (Arrow Capital) is shorting it. To paraphrase, he said: 'They have 2x debt-to-EBITDA. It's pretty expensive, and their access to capital will decline since we are late in the cycle.'

I should point out that many analysts love the stock, including you guys. I'd like to know your opinion because once in a while the shorts (depending on who they are) offer a valuable perspective.

Thanks! Elliott
Read Answer Asked by Elliott on May 07, 2019
Q: Hey 5i,
I am a new investor and member of 5i. Upon review of your Reports and Portfolios I have decided that my portfolio will be a mix of Income and Growth. My question is as to the number of stocks to purchase to balance my Portfolio. If stock A is valued at $100 and Stock B is $25, should I purchase 4 of A ($400) and B ($100) , or 1 of A ($100) and 4 of B($100)?
Read Answer Asked by Matthew on May 07, 2019
Q: This is a strategy question that has to do with using margin debt. I am wondering what you think of buying on margin. Last year for the first time, I bought on margin, roughly from fifty to one hundred thousand at various times throughout the year. This is a small percentage of my portfolio and thus not too dangerous. In doing my taxes I see that I paid $2480 in interest. The government gave me back $1187 of that as carrying charges. That means there was $1280 left. I bought all high dividend paying stocks and so expect that I recuperated or surpassed that amount in dividends. Then I get the capital gains for nothing. ( Or, the capital loss, also.).

So, I suppose I am asking you whether it is worth the trouble? Especially when I have 20 or 30 percent fixed income. Perhaps I should use that if i want to try to leverage things a bit? I am thinking that it may be a good stragegy when one feels that stocks are really low. But, the rest of the time it is hard to make any money. But, i am more interested in your thoughts on the strategy.
thanks
Read Answer Asked by joseph on May 07, 2019
Q: In response to Cam's comments about Stella Jones and concrete ties and poles taking their market share.... A couple months ago across the street from me a line of concrete poles was being replaced with wood. I chatted to one of the guys and he said the wood poles last way longer and that there is more maintenance required with concrete poles (cracking, rusting metal hardware were two of his examples). Judging by the trucks and team of people present there I would speculate the labor to maintain and replace a pole would be much higher then the pole itself. Cheers
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on May 07, 2019
Q: I continue be interested in SJ, but on a recent drive in BC I saw some work being done to replace railway ties...they were not wood, they were concrete. This struck me as being a problem for SJ but I'm hoping you can elaborate. Does SJ make mention of how concrete ties are affecting their business? Do you have any idea what the price point difference is between wooden ties and concrete?

Cam
Read Answer Asked by Cameron on May 07, 2019
Q: We have just transferred from an advisor to a discount broker. We have a 8% position between two separate RIF accounts . As the risk is the same in a RIF or a TFSA account would it make sense to move this holding to our TFSA accounts with a total 5% holding
as there is no tax in the TFSA accounts? Your overall opinion of of the company please, and if 5% is too high of a holding for this company? Any other recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks MJ


Read Answer Asked by M J on May 07, 2019
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