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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: 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
Q: I see on BNN today that CP&CNR are getting pressure on releasing gas emissions (carbon imprint ) really i think they both have a terrible environmental record and seem to be untouchable,so with a little more of a spotlight possibly coming and the use of toxic ties along every river and waterway in canada do you think it may be time to sell SJ or do you do you think it will make very little impact on SJ bottom line.Also i see a lot of concrete ties starting to be used these days in their double tracking to the westcoast
Read Answer Asked by dennis on November 20, 2020
Q: I would like to increase my portfolio exposure to materials and industrials. When it comes to materials, I own NTR and was thing of adding a position in SJ. I am not entirely comfortable with this buy (concerns about slow growth), but I can't simply find a better alternative. What are buyable (quality + reasonable valuation) companies in the materials sector that you think are better than SJ? When it comes to industrials, I was think of starting long-term positions in EIF and CAE because of their recovery potential due to low valuation. Is there anything that you find concerning in these two?
Read Answer Asked by Steve on September 02, 2020
Q: I have these shares in a tfsa. Do you see any sells in this list and can you please suggest a couple of additions? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Lois on August 10, 2020
Q: I have several beat up stocks that are now small holdings so looking to clean up the mess a bit and reduce my holdings to a more reasonable number. These are all in my unregistered accounts so will generate a tax loss although that wont do me much good this year with no likely gains to harvest.... So my general plan was to sell some and consolidate in other holdings I already have: ( use as many credits as required)

Sell HSE ( 1/4 position ) and add to my 1/2 SU . I get the tax loss to carry forward and move from HSE that is mostly heavy oil to SU with less downside.

Sell CHW ( 1/4 position) and add to my 1/2 SJ. These 2 don't really match up well like HSE and SU but the CHW is such a small position, unlikely to move until late in the recovery and with the div suspended I think I am going to take my lumps on it. I am a bit lite on SJ anyways.

Sell my MX ( 1/2 position) and add to my MAL ( 1/2 position). Once again not good matches but these 2 are small position in the same account. MAL hasn't done much in terms of stock movement but has generated a good yield over the many years I have owned it. I am not feeling the love in the energy sector for the next few years and I have a felling that the good old days in oil and gas might be at an end with the cost of solar improving and the steady growth in electrifying transportation....

And last sell 1/2 position of AD and buy ALA ( 1/2 position). Once again not a great fit in terms of sector but yields are comparable and ALA is essentially a utility ( and not a oil and gas) so should be a somewhat stable yield.

I wish I had a few big winner I wanted to sell to harvest the tax losses now but will just need to put them in my pocket for the big recovery in a hopefully not to distant future... These moves reduce my small holdings, Get rid of some holding you don't have in your portfolios, de-risk my portfolio somewhat and finally move that money into companies a bit better placed to maintain their dividends during covid/post covid
Read Answer Asked by Tom on July 22, 2020
Q: My Canadian dividend portfolio lacks exposure to materials. I currently hold CCL.B and was considering adding one position in SJ, NTR, or BOS. My goal is owning a good business at a sound valuation with prospects of dividend growth for at a long term. I consider the companies the best in the Canadian universer of stocks when it comes to materials. I am leaning towards NTR, but I am hesitant because I try not to invest in businesses that are very sensitive to commodities prices. Can you comment on these companies, their management, risks, and outlook? What do you think is the best option among the three?
Read Answer Asked by Steve on May 26, 2020
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