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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: Hello,
I have owned stpl for years as a sector based diversification strategy but feel it has had disappointing returns, even for that sector noting that there are some great breakout picks in the staples sector.
Could you please advise if you think it is a reasonable choice for the staples sector versus specific picks?
I realize that you typically recommend dol as well as wmt, cost and pg. just wondering what you think are good long term picks at this time given significant movement in these in the last couple of years.
Read Answer Asked by Peter on December 09, 2025
Q: I was just reviewing the Balanced Equity Model Portfolio for investment ideas. You show Loblaws with a YTD return of 15.18% as of Nov 30. I believe it is closer to 32%. Metro has a return of about 14%. Why has Metro lagged Loblaws so much for so many years ?
Read Answer Asked by Mark on December 09, 2025
Q: How would you define a "core holding" in a portfolio? The above listed companies I consider to be core holdings. Does this list broadly match your definition of what type of companies should make up core holdings in a portfolio? Are there names in that list that you would NOT consider to be "core holdings"?
Thank you for your work and please deduct as many credits as you see fit.
Read Answer Asked by John on December 05, 2025
Q: Similarly to the question asked by David regarding your Income portfolio, for B-E portfolio, what would be your top 10 stocks in the order you would buy. Based on anticipated total return (dividends + stock price increase) for the next five years expectations. I would also appreciate if you could add to these stocks your return expectations and risk ratios on the scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being highest. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Michael on December 04, 2025
Q: Besides CNR, NWC, TIH, and BN, I'm looking for 5 other quality Canadian companies that have at least somewhat of a moat, and are resistant to AI and other types of disruptions to their businesses. I'm looking for companies that are not technology, banks, pipelines, materials or the other Brookfields. Can you please help? By the way, if you do not agree with the four I've listed, you can also let me know.
Read Answer Asked by James on November 26, 2025
Q: I have to trim some of my holdings. Please rank the following in order of which you would trim first. Positions are roughly equal and this is an account focused on long-term investments. Thanks

ARX
ATZ
BAM
BN
CNR
CVE
EMA
ENB
FTS
GLXY
L
LMN
MFC
NVDA
SHOP
TOI
TRI
PPL

Read Answer Asked by Lauren on November 19, 2025
Q: Good morning;

I am doing some rebalancing of my portfolio. In light of my views on world events over the next 3-5 years I am looking for the top 3 "Consumer Defensive" stocks. I believe there to be risk in the US dollar over this period so would appreciate your recommendations on 3 Canadian and 3 American consumer defensive stocks and what makes them a consideration.

As always, thanks for your insights!
Read Answer Asked by Dave on November 03, 2025
Q: I have very limited to zero holdings in Consumer Defensive and Cyclical. Could you explain the difference between Defensive and Cyclical and recommend how best to invest, either individual stocks or ETF.
Many thanks,
Ralph
Read Answer Asked by ralph on October 31, 2025
Q: Can you provide an updated commentary, similar to your last answer from July 2024 ?
Has anything changed ?
Read Answer Asked by Jabs on October 02, 2025
Q: Is there any way to determine how "pure a play" L is as a consumer defensive vs MRU? What I am trying to get at is that there are a lot of consumer discretionary type items sold at Shoppers (probably the majority of the revenue?). Even Loblaw stores sell clothes. Metro seems to me more a defensive name in terms of groceries. Are there any publicly disclosed facts to prove or disprove this thesis? Thanks as always for your thoughts.
Read Answer Asked by Stephen R. on September 29, 2025
Q: What are your top Canadian picks in:
Healthcare
Consumer goods and services?
Much appreciated. ram
Read Answer Asked by Ray on September 19, 2025
Q: Regarding your recent portfolio changes:

- what is the best metric for determining whether or not Tantalus Systems is good value at current levels ?

- I was surprised by the AI disruption note in your commentary for CGI. I thought they were to benefit from AI. Maybe I misunderstood (?)

- By trimming NTR and adding L in the balanced portfolio, are you suggesting there is more upside with L ?
Read Answer Asked by James on September 12, 2025
Q: Hi,
Could you illustrate to us all what type of companies/stocks and/or sectors historically have performed the best ( or least worst ) over periods of recession/depression/stagflation and war times? And further, can you provide your top 5-10 CDN stocks that you think would do best in these situations, with at least half of them dividend payers please, if possible. Potential ETF and options strategies would be appreciated as well. Take as many points as you see fit.
cheers and thanks, Chris
Read Answer Asked by chris on September 11, 2025
Q: ATD has not really done much for some time now. What stock would you recommend to replace it at this time.
Read Answer Asked by shirley on September 09, 2025
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