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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: I'M in my retirement years and have accumulated about 28% in Financial sector, which is over what your Portfolio Analysis suggested (12%). Could u give me a ranking of 1 (least prefer) to 5 (most prefer) in terms of Price Growth and Dividend growth Take as many credits as you see fit. Thank you
Read Answer Asked by DAVID on March 19, 2024
Q: We have well-diversified Canadian portfolio (~30 holdings) focused slightly toward growth. Across our various accounts we are overweight in the Financial Services sector. We are considering reducing our holdings in the traditional banks, which are currently roughly equal amounts of TD, BNS, BMO and RY.

Putting aside potential taxation issues, given the choice between reducing all the banks by roughly the same amount or reducing the number of banks to 2 or 3, which would you prefer and why? If it's the latter, which banks would you keep and in what order?

Thanks,

Peter.
Read Answer Asked by Peter on February 13, 2024
Q: Hi 5i
Regarding your answer to my earlier question about BMO....
"Overall, we would stay away from financial institutions with a weak capital base and questionable loan book quality. In a loss scenario, as we saw last year in the regional banking crisis, equity can at times be eroded quickly."
Is BMO in a situation where this is a similiar issue for them?
thx
Read Answer Asked by jim on February 01, 2024
Q: I bought them all last April and the draw down got as low as 15%--they have all made a comeback now except BNS still down 8%----Do you think this resurgence is sustainable and a good time to add to my holdings?
Thanks
Peter
Read Answer Asked by peter on December 15, 2023
Q: Thoughts on buying these here in an RRSP or RESP and forgetting about them for a few years ? Any you would change ? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on November 13, 2023
Q: Can you please provide proxies for tax loss selling for the above noted stocks/ETFs
Please deduct as many credits as necessary.
Thanks for your insight.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on November 08, 2023
Q: Tax Loss selling time is just around the corner and I would like to take advantage of losses I have in above companies. I have some gains this year and I paid taxes on gains for the last 3 years as well.
Would you sell one position only and which one would you suggest. I would like to buy back at the appropriate time as well.
I would appreciate if you could prepare us for this event of tax loss selling and refresh our memories.
Thank you!
Albert
Read Answer Asked by ALBERT on October 16, 2023
Q: Re: the Bank 30Yr Mortgage Amortization Question asked by James... Could you explain the impact of more or less 30Yr Amortiztion Motgages ? Why is it important ? Also how would you rank the Cdn banks for purchase now and which could recover the best ? Which likely has the lowest impact from mortgages renewing ? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 11, 2023
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%.
Read Answer Asked by James on October 06, 2023
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
Read Answer Asked by Brian on October 03, 2023
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?
Read Answer Asked by Brett on October 02, 2023
Q: We are dividend investors in our late 70’s. We derive most of our income from dividends. Recently we sold about 200,000. Worth of Enbridge and are looking to reinvest. We have short listed some companies above and would like your opinion on them. Also if you have any other suggestions we would welcome your ideas. We are looking for solid companies with a good dividend that also increase their dividends.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on October 02, 2023
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
Read Answer Asked by Peter on September 18, 2023
Q: These are my wife's holdings in her non-registered account. Held these for very long time. EMP.A I bought for her maybe 5 years ago when down a lot. Sitting on a fair bit of cash. Thinking of adding to banks at some point (recession?) or adding BCE and EIF? T is small holding at 2000 shs. Comments/suggestions please. Oh, own ETF ZUE for quite a while also. RRSP has other banks +++
Read Answer Asked by James on August 29, 2023
Q: Hi Peter and team:
Thank you for the advice you have offered all these time, giving us readers a sense of direction.
I'm a retiree and looking for a balance of income and growth, and currently holding the above in the financial sector and need to trim down as per the Portfolio tracking service suggest. Could u rank your preference from the Income and growth , from Most Prefer (5) to the least (1). Feel free to add names not in the list above.
Deduct as many points as you see fit. Thank you as always
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by DAVID on August 21, 2023
Q: I have owned these stocks for over 13 yrs incl. T, JNJ & IGM - added quite a while ago. The last 4 added last 2 years. Sitting on cash build up wondering what to do - ie. buy? Add to; ENB, GRT.UN, , GSY or ? I am 74 YY. I own in my RIF: ALA, FTS, RNW, RY, SLF, TD, RYNWH.UN and ETF ZHY. My Non- Registered account portfolio- first listed stocks represent, by far the largest portion of my investments.
Read Answer Asked by James on August 09, 2023
Q: I sold TRP today at basically a break even price because I do not want to wait out the final outcome of their recent split up plan and to see how their debt is allocated etc. I was in the stock for long term income given I am recently retired. It will be hard to find an equivalent yield, given capital preservation is a prime objective along with the income. TRP was held in a non registered account for tax advantaged dividend income.

With long term capital preservation a goal along with income generation, and that I hold all of the above listed companies already in appropriate proportions and don't wish to add to them or their sectors (no more utilities, financials or telecoms) what other Canadian blue chip dividend companies would you consider for long term hold with decent dividends for income? I also already have enough allocated to bonds, GIC's and cash accounts so I'm not considering these assets either.

Manageable debt levels and ability to maintain dividend growth, hopefully at the rate of inflation or higher is the main criteria I would hope to have in replacing TRP for the long haul. Thank you for your valued insight in giving me suggestions to look at.
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on August 03, 2023