Investment Q&A

Q: I am trying to construct a barbell style Canadian portfolio.Can you name 5-6 growth names you favour and 5-6 defensive names that I might be able to build this with ?

Q: Apparently BMO, CIBC and TD currently have negative amortization mortgages approaching 20%. Do you have comparatives for BNS and RY ? Apparently there is one Canadian bank that is very conservative at less than 6%.

Q: Hi,

I think there are a few screaming buys out there. Would you list your top five?

BNS is at a silly price would you say? Back up the truck?

Q: I have a loss in CM which is matched by an equal gain in TD.
Was thinking to sell both and buying equal amounts of BNS and RY.
All are in a non registered account. Is the tax loss accepted?
Would you recommend any changes back after 30 days?

Q: Hello, I own both these stocks, down substantially, I am down 22% on BNS and 16% with BCE. All things remaining equal, would you be comfortable averaging down on the these stocks ?

Q: What is your top 6 picks regardless if Cad / US based / sectors. Also supply entry price and brief explanation on why you like your picks...Thanks for your help with this.

Q: In a world where indebted dividend-payers are being stressed by higher rates, how would you rank the following Canadian companies in terms of the sustainability of their dividend?

RY, TD, BMO, BNS, SRU.UN, FCR.UN, BCE, Telus, FTS, EMA, BEP.UN, BIP.UN, ALA, ENB, TRP, PPL, GEI

Q: same sector tax-loss strategy...What am I missing here...with the assumption that the banks move more or less in tandem...

If I sell BNS stock at a $30K loss and use the funds to buy BMO as a "placeholder", won't I be in the same position either way? i.e. after a 10% gain I would either recover my losses as the BNS stock increases or I would grow tax-free gains as the BMO stock increases (up to $30K)...

Surely for this tax loss strategy it is best to just stick with the company I most believe in, yes?

Q: I am curious about your yield calculation of approx. 8.7%. Is it not closer to 7%
Jerry

Q: Good afternoon.

If you had to pick one - just one - Income stock right now what would your choice be?

Look forward to your answer.

Thanks.

Q: I was very surprised to read your answer to a question from Dennis on September 28th and I’m looking for an explanation as I hold BNS in all my accounts and have always considered it one of Canada’s top blue chip companies that has been paying a dividend for over 100 years. You ranked BNS second from last in dividend sustainability behind high debt, high payout ratio, low growth companies like BCE, T and ENB. Thanks.

Q: Assuming I would like to divide recent funds into 4 companies that I can set up as DRIP’s and leave for 20 years what would you recommend. I am diversified otherwise.

Q: Hi Peter and 5i,
Would you please rank the companies for the sustainability of their dividend going forward?
Would you also rank them in the order that you would purchase for yield and dividend?
Thanks so much for your input.

Q: Can you tell me how many times BNS and TRP have met or beat earnings expectations in the last dozen quarters please? Thanks

Q: I am considering adding to a number of these Income Generating names. I know you are generally not a fan of averaging down but is there an entry point that you would add to these names in the current market.

Thanks
Tim

Q: Hi 5i,
I've just started following EQB with an eye to getting in.
In the past week all 5 major banks are nicely up (even CM!) as is NA.
Conversely, EQB has had a sharp drop followed by a bit of a bounce, but is down overall.
I realize a week is not long and typically not a period of time from which to draw conclusions. However, the opposite direction of WQB's trajectory to other banks has me confused.
Can you explain why its trajectory over the past week would be so markedly different from other, bigger, names in the sector. Is it a sign of some fundamental weakness that isn't well publicized, is it just one of those short term things that defy explanation, is it due to a difference in its business model that is seen as a weakness, is it size related and is it typical for it to go in the opposite direction than most other names in the sector?
I'd sure like to have better insight into EQB, given its behaviour over the past brief while.
Thanks 5i,
Peter

Q: Hi 5i,
What companies are on your lost of long-term hold dividend positions? I’m building a dividend portfolio and sincerely appreciate your always valuable perspective.

Thank you!

Q: Hi: a reader wrote recently that BNS has lagged behind the others for the last 10 years. You replied “Typically, underperforming banks tend to 'catch up' in the Canadian sector”. Isnt 10 years enough time to “ catch up” ?

Q: your thoughts please on the quarter

thx

Q: Retired, dividend-income investor. I have funds available over time to invest in / top-up some of my positions to meet long term asset allocation targets. I plan on continuing to invest these funds over a number of months...as I have been over the past 8 months.

The question is = in what order do I buy the following = XST, XIT (several BNN-ers say to avoid adding to technology at this point), BCE, BNS, LIFE, ZUT.

One method is to wait for these securities to hit my price targets (based on hitting a combination of fundamental and technical targets (a little bit is kind of bottom-feeding).

A 2nd method is looking at setting the order of buying, based on where one thinks each security is relative to their historic value.

Ignore asset allocation...these are smaller amounts and the AA is reasonably good right now.

My suggested order, subject to where each security's price is at (please shoot holes in my plan):
Sept = BNS,
Oct = XST-#1 (in 2 tranches-spread out),
Nov = ZUT-#1 (ditto),
Dec = XIT-#1 (ditto),
Jan = XST-#2,
Feb = ZUT-#2,
Mar = XIT-#2,
As each hits their price target (minor adds) = BCE, LIFE.

Please state your order and why.
Thanks...much appreciated...Steve