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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 am a conservative, retired dividend-income investor with a pension and CPP. My portfolio includes AD, AQN, ALA, BCE, BNS, CGX, CPG, RY, SLF, WSP, WCP, WEF, ZLB, XIT, Sentry Cdn Income Fund, Sentry REIT, RBC Eqty Inc, TD Health, Annuities and Fisgard Capital.

My question is regarding SLF. I bought it in the fall of 2014 with the investment thesis being rising interest rates and an improving equity market (both supposedly good for lifecos).

I am basically flat (down from cap loss and up from dividends). I am normally almost fully invested and am not a trader. I'm happy to hold SLF, but I think the original investment thesis has now changed. Is SLF dead money for now and is the current environment likely to produce more share price deterioration?

On a side note, I am slightly overweight in financials.

Thanks, Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on January 13, 2016
Q: Hi 5i,

There are a couple of things I don't understand about this recent rally.

It seems to me that it is due to the US potentially slowing down, and hence delaying interest rate increases. If this is true, are we to expect this rally to end soon (since a slower US economy must eventually be bad for stocks) or does this rally have legs?

Also, if the rally is based on delaying interest rate increases why are companies like SunLife rallying. I thought these companies were going to benefit from rate increases so the current environment should be negative for them?

Any help you can give me to clear up my confusion would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Read Answer Asked by Mark on October 07, 2015
Q: Hi Peter and Team, looking for clarification regarding your ten picks for Greg in the current selloff, regarding Sunlife as a pick, wouldn't SLF which has a growing presence in Asia, with net income and operating net income in the region more than doubled, become an issue due to China currency affect?

They had a great quarter but how will SLF's international businesses be affected going forward, especially considering the Asian currency issues?

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Hussein on August 24, 2015
Q: I would like to increase my exposure in a life insurance company. I currently own Sun Life (3%) in a well balanced portfolio which includes US exposure and I am wondering if I should buy more SLF or go south of the border and pick up some AIG. My thinking is that interest rates are set to rise in the US, which is usually good for lifecos while Canadian rates are still lagging.

I realize that some of the interest rate increase is already priced into AIG as it has done will for the past year. But is seems to me that as much as things are "priced in" there is still a reaction when the event itself finally occurs and there will be a lag to earnings until the higher rates actually hit the bottom line.

Do you feel AIG presents a better long term upside or should I stick with SLF?

Thanks for the insight.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on August 17, 2015
Q: I am looking for a few income picks to add to my portfolio. However I am concerned about the eventual hike in interest rates and a certain amount of capital flight from income stocks that would ensue. Would you agree that financials generally and insurance companies in particular would do well in a rising rate environment? Any more specific thoughts are appreciated. Thanks again for your great service.
Read Answer Asked by Alex on May 11, 2015
Q: hello 5i:
on 2 March, Gary asked the following question:
Question: I am looking to add some of the names that you cover. In your opinion - which 5-10 names offer the best potential for price appreciation over the medium to long term.

As a counter, could I ask for your 5-10 best VALUE picks, that would include stocks with secure dividends for the medium to long term.
thanks
Paul L
Read Answer Asked by Paul on March 09, 2015
Q: Hi Team

can you help me understand the ebb and flow of the market sectors.

the one that intrigues me lately is the insurance and financials

1. in the insurance sector there seems to be a year to date downturn for SLF, yet not for GWO OR IFC. WHY is this, is there any real "science" / economic "fundamentals" to this?

2. as for the big 6 in banks, they seem to move in the same general direction yet by slightly bigger swings for some, i.e. CM and CWB, is there any rationale behind this ?

Read Answer Asked by Ernest on February 27, 2015
Q: My question is about the net interest rate impact on both of these insurers, specifically whether the positive benefits associated with higher interest rates offset the negative benefits of higher interest rates. I know the positive benefits of higher interest rates on insurers are widely accepted (via contract liabilities), however, considering that both of these firms hold billions in debt securities (the bulk of general fund), isn't their likely to be a negative impact on the balance sheet and possibly net income? Perhaps the net income impact of higher rates is more than the downside of decreasing debt security value?
Read Answer Asked by David on December 23, 2014
Q: I recently took profits SLF to offset losses for tax purposes. I was looking to get back in when I heard an analyst on BNN, who liked both SLF and MFC, but thought SLF was a bit pricey compared to MFC. SLF's PE is 13.8 while MFC's is 9.8. SLF has a higher dividend but also has a higher payout ratio suggesting MFC might have more room to grow its dividend. For income investors, which do you like better? Best wishes for the holiday season.
Read Answer Asked by Ken on December 22, 2014
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