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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: Can you provide a list of companies that are significantly beaten down, oversold, ugly? I'm looking for ones with balance sheet assets, but it doesn't have to be perfect.
Read Answer Asked by Wayne on May 30, 2018
Q: Hi, I am trying to raise some cash and reallocate for buying a new position ( TCL.a).
Most of my holdings have done well ( many same as Balanced and a few from Growth 5i Portfolios) with moderate to sizable gains since inception with the exception of above names ( Negative YTD Only). I like the prospects of some of them with portfolio weights TOY (3.5%), SIS (3.5%)and SJ (2%).
BCE and ENB are fairly old holdings with 3.5% weight each and have not been acting well for a while. Over past few months, I have sold all KWH.un and most of ECI
( reduced to 0.75% weight), due to rising rates and other company specific concerns. DOL (1.25% weight).
Will it be reasonable to eliminate ECI and DOL (small positions) and/or reduce BCE/ENB ( BCE more due to muted growth prospects and ENB due to its high debt and pipeline sector concerns).

Thank you for your valued advice.
Read Answer Asked by rajeev on May 28, 2018
Q: I would like to sell, I think, one of either EIF or ECI to buy CNR. I feel that CNR will provide greater stability, albeit at potentially lower long-term growth, than either of the named stocks. While I like the dividends each pays and am not concerned at the moment about their continuing, I am more interested in overall long-term returns however they may be achieved. The question is which one to sell, assuming you feel that this is a good move. I realize there is a risk/return tradeoff here and am willing to give up some return if warranted.

I have owned EIF and ECI for many years so I am familiar with their ups and downs and warts. I am not crazy about ECI's business model and wonder about future growth. I am concerned about future volatility (shorts, aviation industry etc.) with EIF but think ultimately it had good growth potential. Both of these stocks are well off their highest highs and I wonder if either will ever get there again.

Does one stand out to you as the better choice to sell or again, should I just stay the course? I also own HEI and will be keeping it. That gives me about 8% between EIF and HEI so I wonder if that favours selling EIF to minimize an aviation concentration risk.

Appreciate your insight and guidance.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on May 16, 2018
Q: I currently owned VNR 1.9% , KWH.UN (2.5%) AND ECI(2.6%). I am thinking of increasing my weight in VNR, to 2.5%, would you be a buyer of VNR or better to increase my weight in KWH.UN or ECI?
Thanks
Read Answer Asked on April 17, 2018
Q: I’m worried about ECI. The price trend has been down for three months, but my bigger worry is about criticism of its core business model in the media recently. It seems some of ECI’s clients are complaining they were locked into high-priced long-term (14+ year) water heater rental contracts unknowingly, and without the ability to opt out, when they bought their new homes. Apparently if they want to get out of these contracts now they must pay huge sums of money that make doing so very uneconomic. There are demands for government action to regulate such predatory contracts. Some water heater rental companies are doing this for sure, though I am unsure about the specific terms of ECI’s contracts compared to other companies. Can you shed any light on this? In your view, how much is this raising the risk profile of ECI?
Read Answer Asked by Philip on April 06, 2018
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan,and Team,

The Motley Fool had an article called "3 Canadian Dividend Aristocrats With Dangerously High Payout Ratios".

They cite current and 2018 payout ratios for these three stocks:
CGX: 150% and 144%
ECI: 182% and 124%
PKI: 340% and 329%. (yikes!)

They end the article with this statement:
"It’s important for investors to understand the sustainability of a company’s dividend. These aristocrats all have a history of raising dividends, but their high payout ratios are reason for concern. This does not necessarily mean they are bad investments, but investors looking for sustainable dividends may be better off looking elsewhere."

Should this article be taken with a 'grain of salt'? Are their payout ratio numbers valid? What about the Motley Fool in general? Is it worth reading their articles?

Thanks as always for your level-headed and pertinent advice.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on April 04, 2018
Q: We are divesting our last mutual fund worth ~$82K. It is currently providing ~$6300/yr as mainly ROC with a high MER. Not impressed. I am mainly an ETF purchaser having 88% of our total portfolio in ETFs and the 1 mutual fund. In comparing our holdings to the Canadian MoneySaver ETF portfolio we have about 15% in fixed income to CMM 20%, are low in utilities but generally our allocations correlate. I consider us conservative investors requiring income over growth as we are unemployed and needing to use income generated from investments. So not interested in holding US growth ETF. Realized that we do not hold any technology or consumer discretionary ETFs. In wanting to replace the mutual fund I have looked at 5i Income Portfolio and am thinking that taking about 1/3 of funds from sale into each of KWH.UN, ET and ECI. This would result in about 2%-2.5% allocation to utilities, consumer non-cyc and technology. This would bring our utility alloc to CMM ETF % and give more direct exposure to consumer and technology then small percentage that occurs in ETF holdings. What %/$ allocation would you consider appropriate for a sector overall? This allocation would provide ~$5600/yr income, the decrease is ok if consider that may get some growth over time. Intention is to not use capital for expenses for next 15 years. Have no pension plans. Would you consider the above as conservative direction to generate replacement income from fund or are there other alternatives in your opinion that could generate this level of income that may be a better option?
Read Answer Asked by Betty on April 02, 2018
Q: This group has posted disappointing results of late...what/when are the expected next earrings estimates? And when is it time to review whether these still should still be held? Thanks....
Read Answer Asked by adam on March 16, 2018
Q: Hi, . I want to invest in 5 stocks ,mainly for income , I would like your thoughts on my ideas , and give me your ideas . p.s. I hold BNS and TD . I would buy 1 at atime over the next several months thx Jack
Read Answer Asked by Jack on February 23, 2018
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