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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: Recently we were surprised to see that my 86 year old mother in law sold an etf and purchased Manulife simplicity portfolio FE (568). I say surprised as the broker is well aware to discuss financial changes to her account with my husband and ETFs were specifically chosen to avoid buying mutual funds. What can you tell me about this fund and does it generate monthly income. It looks like the broker is selling shares every month and sending her a cheque. I do not see any info around fees (which I thought had to be disclosed under the new rules) on her monthly statement. My husband is meeting with the broker so any info you can provide or questions he should ask would be appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Maggie on March 28, 2017
Q: Based on bitter experience, I have concluded that preference shares are generally not suitable for an investor disinterested in gambling on interest rates.

My conclusion is based on the following:
- the only type of preference share which assures the investor of a fixed capital repayment amount is one subject to a mandatory fixed redemption date.

It seems to me (perhaps wrongly) that 1. reset shares will not necessarily trade for face value on the reset date and 2. floating rate shares would never necessarily trade at their face value
- in practice, the mandatory redemption type share is not available to a retail investor, if at all.
- apart from interest rate risk, I wonder whether there is a significant spread between bid and ask, placing the investor at an automatic disadvantage at the time of sale

Am I wrong?
Read Answer Asked by Carl on March 28, 2017
Q: From your experience did you find that, in an upward market, inflow of money into mutual funds increases and therefore accelerates the upward momentum and the opposite is true as well? Today with all these ETFS can this occur with ETFS as well? Is the popularity of ETFS (funds flowing in and out) is adding to the volatility of the market. Would you see a panic scenario causing a major collapse?

Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Saad on March 27, 2017
Q: Keystone gets go ahead from Trump. Realize line won't be completed until 2019.I expect good for the future for Canadian Companies and Alberta Gov't. What Companies will benefit in Canada, drillers, other pipelines feeding into TRP, tar sand companies SU. What other Canadian Oil Producers and Service Companies. Thanks Bob

Railways will get a hit that transport oil and RR car
manufacturers that produce oil tankers. Will this effect Burlington Northern and Mr. Buffet I understand cost to ship oil from Canada by Rail is $ 15.00 a barrel. Is that correct ? Thanks Bob
Read Answer Asked by bob on March 27, 2017
Q: I am a 30yr old long term investor with a Canadian portfolio leaning towards growth. Consumer (cyclical and non cyclical) account for approx 10% and would like to increase this to approx 20%. I currently hold ATD(4%), MTY (4.5%), TOY (1.7%), and would like to selectively add over the next few months to achieve my target of 20%. How would you suggest i achieve this? Would you add to current names? Add a position or half position off my watch list (ZZZ,DRT,SHOP)? Or do you have any other names that you feel would fit in better? Since i plan on having these holdings long term i would also appreciate your opinion on entry point or if you think i should avg in once you have answered the questions above. I appreciate your service and feel free to deduct as many credits as necessary.
Read Answer Asked by justin on March 27, 2017
Q: Ten years ago in 2007 i took four hundred thousand out of the stock market and bought some segregated funds through manulife. I have with drawn one hundred and twenty two thousand in the last 5 years. The funds are now worth three hundred and eighty-eight thousand now. I am guaranted twenty three thousand three hundred a year for life. I am 67 years old and retired for 11 years with 1 million 280 thousand invested in differant investments my house not included.I receive a thousand a month from cpp and old age pensions and another twenty-four hundred a month from other investments not including the thenty-three thousand three hundred from this investment. My wife has pensions of thirty-six thousand a year. I paid nine thousand in fees last year and the funds were up 14 thousand after fees were paid.I am thinking of cashing in some or all of the funds and buying some blue chip stocks, banks, bce stocks in your income and balanced portfolio. What do you think of this. We have no debt and just wish to have a good life and retain what we have. thanks
Read Answer Asked by don on March 27, 2017
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan and all,

I am a rational DIY investor who adheres to the diversity mantra but I am considering a slightly radical move. Here's the thesis, which is about energy: at the beginning of the year my oil and gas exposure - 6 stocks, all solid choices - was already on the light side at about 8% of my portfolio. Just shy of 1/4 through the year they are down a cumulative 10% (9% including dividends). My thinking is that:

a) global demand will be flat-ish, as non renewable energy sources gradually gain strength, off setting increasing demands elsewhere.

b) it's somewhat amazing that the OPEC production cut is holding but I'm not confident that it will long term, which could lead to the spigots being turned on full blast again.

c) technological gains mean a decreasing cost to extract every last drop of oil, as evidenced by the Americans in the Permian Basin and elsewhere.

Bottom line is I'm not buying the global oil inventory coming into balance scenario meaning further pressure on prices. That 8% of my portfolio figure is now 7.1% and dropping. Contrary to oil I have been knocking it out of the park on the tech side - 10% of the portfolio - with NVDA, SHOP, KXS, OTEX and AT and am considering getting right out of energy and deploying that 7% into tech and healthcare.

I am well represented in all other sectors except materials - don't like the volatility - so would then be skipping two sectors.

I know this is a deeply personal investing decision but your thoughts are appreciated conceptually.

Thanks!


Read Answer Asked by Kim on March 27, 2017
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