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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: Recent news of mass closures by Caribbean customers of their Royal Bank accounts due to sudden imposition of service fees suggests to me that Royal Bank either doesn’t know or doesn’t care what its customers want. It sounds like an idea generated by greedy head-office bean counters with no knowledge of what is going on in the field. If retail banking is all about service, then once the reputation for customer service is lost, won’t the business inevitably suffer ? In your opinion is this event a “tipping point” for the Royal Bank, presaging a similar abandonment by Canadian customers ? Or will Canadian retail customers simply shrug and carry on with business as usual ?


Read Answer Asked by Don on July 01, 2016
Q: Hi Peter and Team!! Your introduction to the Money Saver Magazine indicated that the investment advisers have to disclose all investment fees to their clients. Do we specifically have to ask for them, or will they automatically be sent to us? Happy Canada Day to all!!! Tamara
Read Answer Asked by Tamara on July 01, 2016
Q: Whats you outlook on gold in general. Held this for years through some big ups and downs and thinking of getting out with the recent Brexit price bump. Wondering however with seasonality supposedly turning positive over the next few months whether to hang on a little longer.
Read Answer Asked by Lloyd on June 30, 2016
Q: 9:53 AM 6/29/2016

Hello Peter:

Today you made this distinction between "Safe" and "Secure" dividends in your answer to Grant asking about Superior Plus : "We would consider the dividend 'secure'. 'Safe' is a different category completely".

1. I am looking to concentrate on companies whose dividends you consider to be in the "safe" category, and which yield over 3.5% as these should/must be at least the main core of any pensioner's holdings for reliable income. This can be confusing to sort out since I presume that you will not consider all banks, utilities, telcos, REITS, Pipelines, etc. qualify as "safe".

2. So if you could sort out a short list of the few that qualify for the "Safe Dividend" category it would be most appreciated. I do understand that disasters do occasionally happen, and any company no matter how safe can get into trouble.

2. This brings up the problem of portfolio concentration caused by owning only a few names or sectors. Is it better or "ok" to just own a portfolio of only "Safe" dividend stocks, or are we advised to dilute the quality of our portfolios and own some less safe dividend stocks to supposedly "diversify" risk? This harks back to the people whose portfolio consists of only the big five Canadian Banks and who have done brilliantly for the past 50 years!

Your considered opinion on this issue will be most appreciated........ Paul K.

Read Answer Asked by Paul on June 30, 2016
Q: I wish to add a utility stock to my holdings. Do you have a preference between Boralex and Algonquin? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Patricia on June 30, 2016
Q: Prior to Brexit there was considerable discussion about the need to address Cdn house price overvaluation, likely through mortgage terms. I note that both MKP - MCAP and Timbercreek have worthwhile dividends, provided their pricing remains stable or positive. I note that you like MCAP but the question is what do their future prospects depend on?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Mike on June 30, 2016
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