Investment Q&A

Q: I am looking to add half a position of another tech company [currently I hold only Constellation. What would you recommend for a conservative investor [aged 72] with a pension and balanced/income portfolio.

Q: I was just about to buy CSU when I noticed a good report and it shot up 12%! Is it too late? I'm looking for two long term holds, minimal volatility, for a 2.5 % position each. What two do you like and why?

Q: Please comment on the financial result of CSU. ThanKs a lot.

Q: Noticed the special dividend of $20/share and read the companies brief comment that while still seeing an attractive acquisition pipeline they have excess capital requirements for 2019 hence the dividend. Managements track record is pretty impeccable and their reputation as capital allocators is second to none but is this a small cause for concern going forward, especially as they rely on acquisitions for most of their growth? I'll gladly take the $20/share but would have thought there were more acquisitions out there or maybe even some debt could have been paid down? Maybe I'll pose this question to CSU on their Q&A site as well but what are your thoughts?

Q: Please comment on CSU's Q4, including your thoughts on the normalized accounting effects of the bargain puchase gain.
Also, the $20 special dividend, about $400 million total, is 5 years of the usual regular quarterly dividend.
Do you see this as a sign their acquisition plans are slowing down or are they just reaping some rewards?

Q: Hi, Could you please provide street estimates for the upcoming quarterly results for Shopify and Constellation Software. Thanks

Q: I think I recall reading a Q and A about companies that have issued shares very seldom. However, I wasn't able to find the question thru text search. Could you provide the names again? Thank you.

Q: Most equity investments I make are made with a long term view (buy and hold). My recent readings of investment material have concluded in many cases that one of the best indicators of long term successful and rewarding investing is to invest in excellent company management. I would consider some examples of excellent management would be JNJ and closer to home BAM. Both of which I currently own.

Given the great many risks (domestically and internationally) currently threatening even a conservative approach to investing. I am looking to identify up to 10 large companies that have clearly demonstrated excellent consistent management capability. Your consideration in helping me with this by identifying some qualifying companies would be most appreciated. My thought is that at least 5 out of 10 would be Canadian and would be large companies.

Thank you

Q: Thanks 5i for your unbiased insights and for introducing me to many new Canadian growth stocks that I had been unaware of.

Question on Constellation. CSU seems to have some conflicting attributes for a typical tech stock. It trades at a very high PE ratio, 58, yet a low beta of 0.53. Can you explain why this stock trades at such a high valuation with such low volatility?

Q: Hello 5iR Team, Many brokerage houses have developed the portfolio structure of identifying a short list of their "Highest Conviction" stock picks. Then they separate them from all of their other "BUY" rated stocks and/or stocks they have selected to put in a portfolio.
Yes, I know you have your three model portfolios but choosing a few stocks from these portfolios or something different forces everyone to concentrate and co-operate to develop the ultimate 5iR focus list.
Is this a concept the 5iR team has considered?
Would it be possible to ask at this time can the team give me what 5iR thinks are its' Highest Conviction ideas for 2019? Thanks Team. Cheers, Chris

Q: Good Morning 5i,

Looking for a bit of guidance in adding to my CDN portfolio. Bit of a long-winded question so please deduct credits as appropriate.

I have 27 positions. The smallest positions are at about 2.75% (FTS, NTR) and largest are at about 6.5% (ENB, BNS).

Sector Allocations as follows:
Financial - 20%, Energy - 20% (almost entirely midstreams/pipes - ENB, KEY, IPL - Vermilion is the exception), Industrials - 12%, Materials 5.5%, Cons. Cyc - 7%, Cons. Defensive - 3%, Telco - 8.5%, Utilities 14%, Healthcare - 4%, Info Tech - 5.5%

Holdings are almost all 'boring' names, dividend payers/growers even though my risk tolerance is high and we are in our late 30's with no intention of touching this portfolio for decades. There are a few growthier co.'s in there that have come from your suggestions - GC, KXS, SIS, for example.

We have funds for 3 new positions - 2 in cash account, and 1 in a TFSA after contributing this year's limit, each position worth roughly 3.5%

I've been leaning towards BAM, as an all around well run company and exposure in things like real estate and infrastructure that is currently not in this portfolio.

Can't settle in on the other 2 positions, although my sector allocations scream at me to add more Technology. I simply cannot figure out what would be good buys here - I keep going back and forth in my head between growth options (PHO) and more boring options like Evertz.

Can you give me your opinion on this? First of all on whether (based on my current allocations) I should be looking at tech or somewhere else. Second, on the specific names to recommend (given a timeline measured in decades). Third, on the addition of BAM? Finally, on where you would add the positions (TFSA or CASH)?

Again, multiple part question so please deduct as appropriate.

Thank you so much,
Ryan

Q: Hi team,
I did a fast calculation and my tech weighting is at 31%, broad etf's at 29% and the crumbs that are left over in energy, consumer dis. industrial, communication and health.
From the tech sector my highest weighing is SHOP at 5.04% all the way down to PHO at 1.88%

Although CYBR.B is an etf, I lump it in the tech sector. If you had to remove one or two to lessen the weighting which stock would you sell. I really like all those stocks but I am also aware need to up the other sectors.

Thank you

Q: What do you think about buying some shares of CSU now, or is it too late? Or wait for a better entry, in that case what is a better entry point?
Margita

Q: I hold CSU,DSG,ENGH is a non registered account and have done well. OTEX and KXS in a TFSA. In total all of the above are about 6.47% of my holdings. Should I consider reducing to 2 or 3 holdings or hold all five. Comments, thanks

Q: MoneySense magazine just published this article listing 50 stocks. What is your opinion about these? Which would be your highest conviction recommendations, perhaps in different categories, such as income, growth, balanced? https://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/stocks/50-top-canadian-stock-picks-for-2019-as-chosen-by-the-pros/

Q: Hello 5I
Which one would you like best going forward as I’m looking to reduce my Tech holding to approximately 10%?
Thanks

Sylvain

Q: I’m looking to add a 3 positions to this list. I was thinking about bns or slf. Can you give me some other suggestions from the balanced portfolio? This account is 20% of my total investments, and is for medium to long term savings. The rest is in well diversified funds. Thanks.

Q: Hello there ,
Do you think Mark Leonard of CSU has ever thought of selling CSU and starting again? As Constellation gets larger and larger one would think their growth rate will slow. It might be a challenge to have the same success in the next 10 years as he has had in the last 10 years. I know he has identified tens of thousands of potential takeover targets, do you think it makes sense to sell CSU and start CSU part 2? A new company could be valued back at $25/share and one would think he could double to $50 quickly and again to $100 starting from scratch quicker than $1000 to $2000? So many more deals need to be made now and much larger deals potentially to move the needle. Thoughts?
Thank-you

Q: I have one third position in SQ and two third position in CSU. I need to choose one.
Which would you choose.
Clayton

Q: My daughter TFSA contains the above stocks. She can add 1 (full position) or 2 (half position) this year. What would be a good fit for her present holdings? Would you suggest selling Stella Jones &/or Telus and replacing it with something else? She has a long time frame as she will not need the money in the foreseeable future.