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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: Morning 5i,
The company description for SJ says that the utility poles division brings in the most revenue of any division. Where I live there's recently been a substantial amount of new road work - the SW Calgary ring road extension - and for the miles and miles of new road all one can see are miles and miles of metal utility poles, which I assume SJ did not fabricate or supply.
Is SJ's main revenue producing division in danger of quickly becoming obsolete in the market place, and if that's too pessimistic an outlook is it at the least giving up substantial market share to whoever is providing the metal poles? (And who might that be?)
Thanks,
Peter
Read Answer Asked by Peter on July 07, 2021
Q: Can you tell me your thoughts about the long term prospect for this company and why do you think it has been such a weak performer over the last month? Do you think it's growth has peaked? I've held this since 2014 and added a bit more in 2015 for an average entry price of around $32.00. Should I hold or sell?

If I was to replace this company in my RRSP could you give me three alternate companies in the material sector I should look into as possibilities for long time hold, hopefully with dividend and growth prospects?
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on June 01, 2021
Q: Hi gang
Which of the above is my best pick for a 2 to 3 year (more or less depending on what happens to this surge in lumber) buy? I would like to jump on this wave!
Thank you and stay safe...
Read Answer Asked by El-ann on May 12, 2021
Q: Hello,

A long time ago, Peter was on Market call and he mentioned a few criteria, which in his books, would make a stock a recommendation.
And then as one of the top picks, which met all those criteria, was STN.
Out of all those criteria, I remember:
1) a company had no dividend and just introduced one;
2) significant insider holding/buying.
3) no debt.

Could you please let me know if the criteria I listed above is correct + if there were other criteria as well?
Also, could you please recommend a few companies in both Canada and in US, which met all those criteria (relatively) recently?
It would be really appreciated companies from different industries/sectors please.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Timour on March 25, 2021
Q: The new CEO has been in place for about 18 months now and the latest financial reports were solid. While you never "disowned" the stock it was dropped from the portfolio. Would you be a buyer of this stock now, anticipating growth in lumber in particular as well as M&A activity or is it too soon yet to judge this new exec team?

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on March 12, 2021
Q: Apples vs oranges vs olives question....
I still hold SJ and just noticed internalized that it has been dropped from the portfolios. Only a half position and I have some cash to invest so looking to maybe sell it and buy a new full position. My portfolio is well balanced although selling SJ will make me a bit light in materials so might prioritize a materials stock like CCL or AEM. Problem is I dont like non voting shares and I historically have timed all my mining purchases poorly....seem to buy on the highs in that sector...In general I am a balanced portfolio follower with tendencies to start buying more from the income portfolio. So looking at stocks in the portfilio I might look at adding a full postion can you rank best buys right now with +5 year hold. SJ ( hold and add to it), TFII, CCL, AEM, BCE, other non financial/ non industrial from the balance/income portfolio high on your list buy list right now.
Read Answer Asked by Tom on February 22, 2021
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: Thanks for all your excellent work. Having recently moved to the US and opted to convert my young-ish Nova Scotia pension account to an RRSP and a LIRA, I’m looking to invest the ~100k in these accounts. Horizon: at least 5 years, but probably much more (I’m 40). Having narrowed down a tentative list of names (see below – tech-heavy, I realize), and with a focus on growth, I’m hoping to sort out the best buying strategy. Specifically: (1) At this moment, does the conventional wisdom to buy each stock gradually makes sense to you as good rule of thumb (e.g., over the course of a year, for each stock, adding a quarter of the total intended position once every few months or so)? (2) Also: I’d greatly appreciate seeing a ranked list of, say, which five of these stocks you think it would be especially wise to start with (i.e., buy now, or buy more of sooner) and which five you think I should wait to buy. Feel free to dock me for two questions! Thanks a ton, Chris

CSU, SHOP, LSPD, XBC, SYZ, BEP.UN, PHO, KXS, ENGH, WELL, GUD, EGT, SJ, BNS, WSP, STC, ATZ, LAC, BYD, REAL
Read Answer Asked by Christopher on January 16, 2021
Q: Retired, dividend-income investor, who normally employs a buy-and-hold strategy. I have long term core positions of mostly conservative equities (ETFs = CDZ, XIT, ZLB, ZWC, ZRE, LIFE; Stocks = AD, AQN, BCE, CSH, FTS, MFC, NTR, NWC, PBH, PLC, RY, TRP, WSP) and fixed income of annuities, Fisgard and Gov't-Private pensions. I believe my portfolio is set up fairly conservatively.

I have cash for another position in my Cash Account. I have been reading several 5iR questions lately about various themes for 2021 (Recovery Trade, Swap from Growth to Value, Emerging Market improvements, Take-Over Candidates, etc.). While I'm not even sure if this is possible, I'd like to ask you to screen for as many of them as possible (all thrown into one big ball) to create a half dozen candidates for me to do more research on. I'm looking for a starting point. I'm not even sure where to start, hence the request.

I'm looking for a Canadian (preferably) or USA company, potentially a take-out target, benefitting from the recovery of the economy. I lean towards the Value spectrum, as I inherently find it difficult to buy a stock that has already had a good run. If a dividend could be thrown in, that would be a bonus. Market cap and sector do not matter.

This is sort of a "kitchen sink" kind of question. If that results in zero candidates, then please use your discretion and drop various filters. As you can tell by my current holdings, they are for the most part, blue-chip companies. If we could identify something like an Enercare (that was taken out by Brookfield), that would be a homerun.....happy to hold it but ecstatic to have it taken out. But Enercare is just an example.

Please rank them from best candidate to least...maybe 3 Canadian and 3 USA companies or all 6 from Canada if possible.

If you can run this exercise, then I'll do some further research on your list. I know this is a crazy request...thanks in advance. Take as many credits as you need to throw some brain power at this....I'll never use all of the credits I currently have.

Much appreciated...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on December 19, 2020
Q: I have these stocks in a tfsa. Any you feel could be eliminated and can you recommend an addition or 2? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Lois on December 14, 2020
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