Q: Hi Peter and the 5i Team: Is there any news on Contrans (CSS) as it's down over 3.4% today? You've said in the best that CSS should be OK in a "good" economy, so does the stock price decline reflect something negative about the economy? Or are there other factors at play here? Thanks.
Read Answer
Asked by Deborah on September 03, 2013
Q: In my investment portfolio I own preferred shares, bought for safety and peace of mind in my investments. The preferred shares are from good stocks such as bce, banks, brookfield. The preferred shares make up about 10% of my portfolio. All these pref shrs are down quite significantly right now. Am I correct in my understanding that on the five year maturity these shares can be redeemed for $25. If this is right, would it be a good investment to buy more of these pref shrs right now while they are down in value and make more capital gain?
Q: What are your updated views on LOY now that the Company has announced its plans to acquire King George International College? Quite a transformational transaction. Would you be a buyer off the news, or stay away?
Q: As a dual citizen (I took out US citizenship when I lived there in the 1980s) I pay taxes in both countries. I have hesitated to buy US equities because of the witholding on dividends, which I never get back. But your recent answer reminded me that I would probably be stuck with a capital gains tax as well. Is that true as far as you know?
Would it be possible for your team to recommend three or four stocks that pay high, safe, and growing dividends (at least 7%), and positive growth going forward? Or am I just spitting into the wind? In my income portfolio I already own BCE, CPG, DR, ECI, ERF, LW, STB, VSN with an average dividend payout of 8.07% (many of these stocks long-term holds since 2009). And in my wife's portfolio, she owns AQN, BNS, MBT, NFI, PKI, PPL, RSI, ZRE. We have a couple of $50,000 GIC's coming due this month that have been paying 4.35% for the past five years and need to re-deploy these funds.
Q: Thanks for your update on CGX. I am curious to know whether ticket sales from Events like Live From the Met, Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre make a bottom line contribution to CGX. These performances probably raise the average ticket price but I am curious whether they are stand alone profitable as they are frequently sold out. Interested in your thoughts.
Q: RME - Rocky Mountain Dealerships had a significant pull back last month, now the insiders are buying in. What do you think of the company these days.
Q: Do you know how much money is on margin in the Cdn market and what kind of a percentage drop would occur is all that borrowed money left the Cdn market? Thank you.
Q: I have a position in Vodafone VOD. As I understand the deal I will get about 33% on my investment as Verizon shares and cash. Is this return OF capital though rather than return ON capital? In other words will the share price likely fall to reflect the payout on ex dividend, so nowhere near a 33% gain? In an efficient market one would assume that the price already reflects the news, so a gain of about 12% since the deal became apparent to the street. Would you buy or sell or buy more?
Q: Uranium? What security would you buy and hold to make gains on increasing prices in this commodity which may start in 2014-stockpiles of U depleting from decommissioning of nuclear weapons in Russia?
Q: HLSS,NYSE-fundamentals look pretty good; however, when I read about their business, I do not understand it. Is this a play on the improving economy in the USA & housing specifically-and, would you buy it?
Q: CSH.UN, I looked at fundamentals & it looks like they have huge debt, neg. ROE etc.-but, looking fwd demographics would suggest might be a good long-term buy and hold? What do you think?
Q: AGF.B,which I have held for 5 years and doesn't really owe me anything on present price, keeps paying out the dividend despite apparently poor metrics and has even been rising for some time. Yet the market doesn't really seem to care. Is there something keeping it going such as a sale or might it be a good time to sell before it craters(it is only a small component of an income portfolio).
Thanks as always.