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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 looking at putting together a portfolio of set-&-forget Canadian dividend-paying stocks, in what will be my only unregistered account, making up about 30% of our overall portfolio. The registered accounts (70% of portfolio) are now all in mixes of VGRO, VBAL and XAW.
My emphasis is on stable large cap companies, with a sprinkling of smaller cap, low beta, decent and growing dividends. I expect to draw down the capital at 6 - 7% per year (in addition to the dividends). Beyond the drawdown, capital preservation is secondary to the income.
What are your thoughts on the following mix? Additions/deletions?
Communication: BCE, T
Consumer Discretionary: CTC.A, LNF
Consumer Staples: NWC, PBH
Financials: BNS, TD, SLF
Industrials: SIS
Materials: SJ
Real Estate: CRT.UN
Energy & Utilities: ENB, AQN, FTS, ACO.X, BEP.UN (or BEPC)
My other thought is 100% CDZ but I'm not very impressed with the historical returns and the (relatively) high MER.
Thanks. Lotar.
Read Answer Asked by Lotar on January 26, 2021
Q: Hi Everyone at 5i! I am thinking of adding more dividend players to my tech heavy TFSA, just to start balancing things out a bit. I was thinking of adding Manulife and Atco...they seem cheaper, have some growth prospects and raise their dividends yearly ( though albeit, manulife ran into some problems a while back. ) Are my proposed additions decent selections? Cheers, Tamara
Read Answer Asked by Tamara on January 19, 2021
Q: ACO.X. I am looking at this one to add to my portfolio. They seem to have their fingers in a lot of pies: modular business must be hurting with the slow down in requisite businesses that support them like O & G. Seem to have a lot of debt. as well. Do you have a break down of each business segments contribution to revenue and profit? It's share price is almost at peak levels as well. Would you buy at current price for a long-term hold as a core position?
Read Answer Asked by James on October 06, 2020
Q: I own some CU. Knowing this, would ACO.X being more diversified, be good value at this price to hold as well as CU? Any thoughts on ACO management? They seem to have held up well in past "strained" markets and the dividend is nearing 5%. Good for a dividend investor?
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 18, 2020
Q: In January '19 I pivoted my portfolio to a defensive strategy which has let me sleep at night while returning 8.1% YTD through the end of September. But I also have kept about 30% cash in reserve. I am now doing a deep dive with a view to deploying that cash but all my defensive standbys all have sky high valuations. Thus, two questions:

1. Can you recommend any solid defensive, dividend paying stocks whose valuations are not through the roof? - I have the banks covered.

2. On a contrarian level can you recommend any energy stocks best poised to profit if/when that sector ever turns? A dividend payer is appreciated.

Thank you

Kim
Read Answer Asked by Kim on October 07, 2019
Q: Compare and contrast ACO.x and CU

For fresh money going into the Canadian Utilities/Regulated Sector(?) what would be your top 3 current suggestions for a diversified/balanced unregistered portfolio?

Thanks to the folks behind the screen that continually provide appreciated perspective. Have also found your portfolio analytics option a useful tool for trying to focus.
Read Answer Asked by Richard on June 13, 2019
Q: Have a limited amount to spend and wondered how you view ATCO considering the Kitimat deal. I currently hold ZEF and have noticed that you like VEE. Would I be best off changing to VEE?
Read Answer Asked by Bonnie on March 12, 2019
Q: Happy Thanksgiving to All! I am doing a little portfolio clean up. These are the names I am considering selling: Atco (ACO), Barrick (ABX), Census (CVE), Stantec (STN). Are any still worth holding? Why? Can you offer replacement ideas within the same sector? I am about a decade from retirement and prefer stocks with a (growing) dividend, and also have potential for price appreciation. I have a buy and hold investment style.
Read Answer Asked by Brenda on October 09, 2018
Q: I have been a long-term holder of Atco. Where do you see the company's prospects and would you advise switching to another name in this sector. If yes, please name.
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Yvonne on September 10, 2018
Q: amongst CU,EMA, ENB AND ACO,
A.please rank in order, best value buy and what metric is most appropriate for them in terms of assessing "value".
B. Also could you please give me some historical perspective on their value (always hard to decide on when to buy in given all of the recent drop.)
Read Answer Asked by Ernest on March 13, 2018