Investment Q&A

Q: Dear 5i team.

Can you list US and Canadian small cap ETFs that are options currently, and which you prefer given the outlook over the next few mths?

Many thanks for your help.

Q: My son, 25, recently married and working in USA, has just begun contributing to ROTH IRA matched by employer and looking for advice on on initiating investment in top 4-6 etf's to achieve long term gains with appropriate market diversification. Also, could you please suggest weightings for each considering moderate to high risk tolerance? Thanks so much. Tony

Q: If you were to build a portfolio of just ETFs, what 6-8 would you select? Maybe ignore Canada for this scenario as I have plenty of individual positions I'm quite happy with.

Q: Hi team,

I currently have IWO as a core holding. I would like to change to a more concentrated ETF holding either in small or mid cap US. With so many different factors to choose from such as large/medium/small cap, dividend/value/growth/blend, current valuations, etc... and looking at past returns over various time periods, how does one choose the best ETF to invest in going forward now? I would consider all these ETF's to be high quality and obviously no one knows what the range of future returns will be. With small/mid cap underperforming lately vs large cap, would you place your bets on that spread closing over time? I'm comfortable with volatility and have a long term time horizon (+15yrs). How would you rank these going forward for best risk adjusted returns?

Thank you!

Q: Is it true the companies in IJR small cap 600 are requred to be profitable and 45 % or the companies in the Russell 2000 are not profitable thus making IJR a safer and better investment, Is there a covered call etf similar to IJR? Thanks for your expertise.

Q: If I understand what I have been reading in your comments is that small caps in general are down but have good potential if the economy gets back on track. What would be your favourite Canadian traded ETF to capture a small-cap rebound in Canada and your favourite that trades in the US?

Q: What is the difference between IJR and IWO? Best account to hold?
Many thanks.

Q: If one already has a 10% weighting in ITOT would an additional position in a small cap fund be warranted? Which ETF is preferred for small cap exposure and why - IJR or IWM? It appears IJR has outperformed on all timelines. Is this due to its more concentrated approach? Is there a global small cap etf that is recommended?

Q: In a recent answer you said "We feel that the slightly overcrowded flight to safety in large-cap tech names can open up opportunities for smaller and mid-sized names".

Is there a canadian ETF that reflects an investment in small and mid cap tech in Canada that is worth investing in right now ? And if not is there an American one ? Thanks

Q: Hi Peter,

Do you see any "Generational opportunity", or "Once in a decade opportunity" for a Long time Invester in today's market.

Q: Hello, just read Ryan’s excellent article from
October’s Canadian Money Saver magazine. Are there any ETFs tracking the S&P 600/400?

Q: This fund which was a great fund years ago will shortly be converted into a lower MER fund which I appreciate. However, this got me to look closer at recent performance which I don't think has been very good. I am considering switching it to something else. Can you recommend an ETF or another fund that would be a good replacement. We don't have a lot of foreign exposure other than this fund and a Mawer fund (MAW102) but we are otherwise very diversified in individual stocks.

Q: Between these two Small cap ETFs, which would you prefer IJR or AVUV? Is there much duplication between the two or can they both be held? Do you have something else you prefer in the small cap space?

Q: For someone with a long time horizon and high risk tolerance, and a smaller portfolio, it seems like it might be a good time to invest in a growth ETF. I know you like IWO, but IJR has a lower MER. What are the main differences between these two ETFs? Which would you recommend and why?

Q: I want to invest into us small cap, would you please compare these three ETF, which one to choose today for a long term hold and why? Thank you!

Q: I would very much value your opinion /comments about Larry Swedroe's October 11, 2013 article in ETF.com entitled "The 'Black Hole Of Investing'" ( https://www.etf.com/sections/index-investor-corner/20092-the-black-hole-of-investing.html ) about why small cap growth stocks are the worst-performing segment of the investment market. And why you recommend them in your Growth portfolio (IWO) instead of small cap value, for example - Thank you.

Q: Given recent corrections, which ETFs (both Canada and US) are worth watching/stepping into to take advantage of the sales.

Q: I have received $ 170,000 USF Can you suggest 5 or 6 ETFs for diversification I dont need any more Canada coverage

Thank you
Paul

Q: Dear 5i,
I would like to spice-up my portfolios with small allocations to some small/mid-cap/thematic/sector ETFs. The Active ETF's can be sold on a US or CDN exchange and the holdings can be in any country. Can you suggest as many as you can so I can do some further research. (ie ARK products look interesting to me)

thanks for your suggestions

Q: Could you please suggest a replacement for these mutual funds. I have been told these funds have a high MER and I should investigate other options. A switch to ETF's may be an option too.