Investment Q&A

Q: Hi excellent people. Could you compare the recent earnings of these two . ie: which one came out ahead. Good day to everyone

Q: I have about a 1% weighting in each of the following names in my portfolio: MX, PLC, BYD, MTY, ALA, NFI, TFII, GIB.A, MFC, SIS.
I want to refocus by eliminating 3 or 4 of these. Sector allocation is not a factor. Please suggest 3-4 names to eliminate (list the most obvious to eliminate first) and 2-3 good candidates to boost today (best first).

Q: Dear 5i team:
Your software indicates our family’s investments are too Canadian-focused. However, I prefer our “home bias”, for three reasons:
(a) most of our assets are non-registered, and the dividend tax credit is especially favourable for Canadian source dividends in a province such as ours (Ontario);
(b) I like supporting the companies that I invest in (e.g., we buy Peller family wines, since we own their shares);
(c) but most important, many of the “Canadian” businesses we own are surprisingly international; among our top 20 equity holdings are:
Alimentation couche-tarde (Circle K is world-wide);
Brookfield Asset Management (globally focused company that invests wherever the opportunities are);
CGI Group (revenues are 84% outside Canada per 2019 annual report);
CP Rail (significant U.S. revenues);
Fortis (65% of earning are in U.S.);
Manulife (growing Asian revenues);
Restaurant Brands International (most of Burger King and Popeye’s restaurants are outside of Canada);
Shopify (not sure, but suspect international revenues are growing faster than Canadian revenues);
TC Energy (dropped “Canada” from its name to reflect its growing U.S. presence);
TD bank (substantial and growing U.S. presence);
Anyways, the above-listed 10 stocks represent about one-third of our overall equity holdings (in absolute $ terms), but I would not consider these companies as being “100% Canadian”. I wonder whether your software could be rejigged to reflect the relative percent earnings (or revenue) contributions, broken down per Canada, U.S., Europe, Asia, and so forth. I suspect our home “bias” is not nearly as substantial as it appears.
Ted

Q: What is your opinion of MFC as a longer term hold (5 yrs)? I'm looking for safety and a return that is better than today's interest rates. Given its past performance how likely do you think it could be to be top of its class over the medium term?

Q: Which of these insurance companies would you buy today? Five year hold.
Thanks

Q: Why has MFC not held up as well as SLF in the current circumstances/

Q: Hello Peter and Team,
I currently have 50K ready to be invested in the market. I am looking for capital gain in the next 24 months. Above stocks have been hammered and did not fully recover yet. Agree that they are in different sectors, my portfolio is otherwise diversified.
Could you give me your expert opinion and prioritize your choices if any from the above.
I always value your opinion
Raouf

Q: Hi Guys,
My mistake. Can you answer my question now that you have the proper info.
Thanks. Would you sell MFC for MFR to get a higher yield?

Q: Hi guys, I'm 76 yrs old and still looking long term !
MFC I'm down 22%. Is the div. safe ? Would you still hold or place the money elsewhere ?
CHR I'm down 63% was holding for the div. and it't now gone. Sell, hold or place money elsewhere ?
PAT down 60%. Any light at the end of the tunnel ?
NXR.UN Down 25% Purchased for div. Is it safe? If sell , what to buy ?

Q: Please provide comments on results of these companies.

Q: In the financial sector, which is more likely to cut a dividend, the big 5 banks or the insurance companies SLF, MFC, POW ?

I am assuming it is ok to count POW as an insurance company or should it be viewed separately all together.

Kindly rate the likelihood on a scale of 0 to 10 for banks versus insurance and any differences you might see amongst the insurance companies.

Zero being less likely to cut a dividend.

I am asking this as a dividend investor who doesn't like buying a company that cuts dividends.

Q: Are the Lifeco's in general going to be hurt badly because of relatively high death claims due to Covid,
or is this possibility already priced in ?

Q: Which of these 2 companies do you consider to be the better investment on a long term basis. I am attacked to MFC's Asian business but you seem to recommend SLF frequently. I currently hold MFC but could switch to SLF or add SLF to portfolio.

Q: Your preference has been for SLF over MFC - is that still the case. At $17 do you think MFC has a good entry point?

Q: what is a good enter point

Q: Why are all the insurance companies getting slaughtered? Because of ultralow interest rates? Good buy at these prices? Think the dividends are safe?

What would be your favourite?

Q: I am a buy and hold investor with 5 to 10 years of time horizon.
Have the following 7 stocks in Canadian financials in the order of their weights in our portfolio. Financials makeup roughly 7.5% of the total portfolio including cash positions and we like their dividend. TD, RY, BNS, BMO, SLF, CM, and MFC. I like to reduce exposure to financials and also like to reduce number of different shares. Two questions:
1. Is 7.5% a reasonable weight considering the current situation?
2. Which one of these I should sell to reduce financial weight and to reduce the number of shares in financials?

Q: Could you please tell me total debt, debt/ cash flow, book value, and tangible book value for this company. What was its book value, and tangible book value in 2010
Thanks
Ian

Q: Would you be comfortable with these for long term income: MFC, EIF, CPX

Q: Ok so manulife cut its dividend in 2009 .Im quite sure the banks have never cut theirs or it was 100 years ago bns at 7% yield would be great for someone for yield and gain what are do you think.