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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: Please accept my apologies for what could be a request for a long-winded answer. You welcome to debit my 5i bankroll for 5 question credits in effort to better compensate you for your time.
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If possible, please provide your opinion on something I wish to term "Peak Credit" in Canada. We are all aware that Canadians are spending themselves into a life-long love affair with mortgages, lines of credit and credit cards. With Canadian interest rates at 35 year lows, the availability of loans and credit climb while region-specific real estate prices inflate to valuations that seem to defy logic. Young families in their 30's commonly have mortgage debt over $500k and barely earn the income to cover payments at today's rates.

In general, what is the mix of insured/un-insured mortgage debt on the books of Canadian banks? If wages are not keeping pace with inflation and the cost of living, how are Canadians ever going to own their own home? Are we doomed to a life of the English, where the concept of home ownership is more of a dream than it is a reality?

Do you feel banks in Canada are prepared for higher rates in the next 3yrs?

Is Canada showing the early signs of a credit bubble?

Do bank common stock investors have anything for fear?

Am I a coyote howling at the credit moon?


Thank you for your guidance. This topic should be on the minds of many Canadians.
Read Answer Asked by malcolm on March 08, 2017
Q: 11:31 AM 2/23/2017
Hi Peter:

I don't quite understand your rationale for owning gold bullion, gold streamers or gold miner shares as insurance. Today you said : "The key for 'insurance' such as gold is to own it when you need it, not after." It seems to me that this implies selling your gold at a crisis time since insurance only pays off if the house burns down.

Does this mean you advise actually selling gold positions if the market plunges? Golds get hammered too in crisis situations so may not be winners either. Holding golds through a crisis is almost pointless since if you don't sell you just ride the price up and back down again and almost all golds have trivial dividends, so no meaningful income from them while holding. I just don't see the point. Much better to own BCE or RY or TRP! Would you agree?

Thank you.... Paul K
Read Answer Asked by Paul on February 23, 2017
Q: Financials are currently at about 18% of my equity portfolio i.e., about 3% above target. I am thinking of trimming back on one of TD, RY or POW. Would you agree with a slight trim and which one would you suggest?
Thanks for your great service!
Read Answer Asked by Dan on February 13, 2017
Q: My portfolio consists of 14% Financial stocks that include; 6.5% BNS,3% TNC, 3% ECN, and a new purchase this week of 2.5% RY. TNC and ECN are in my TFSA, the RRSP has the other two. Two questions, overall should I have more financials, if so a suggestion please? I have a high tolerance for risk and a long time frame in mind if required, of course quick gains are always appreciated. haha
Read Answer Asked by Charles on January 16, 2017
Q: Good morning. As a new member I was wondering if you could comment on the equities I have in my TFSA. It's value id approximately $45 K. I have been retired for 10 years on an educator's defined benefit pension and would consider myself a medium risk investor.
The equities are ZUB, CRH, HXQ,RY, SHOP, ZCL (with values of $4-6K) and CPG and NPC ($2-3K values).
Can I feel confident with the growth opportunities of these? Do you have other suggestions to look into?
Thankyou.
Jim
Read Answer Asked by Jim on January 12, 2017
Q: I keep reading that there has been a great rotation away from income/dividend stocks into growth though I dont see much evidence of it. My TD, RB and Telus are not down at all.

Can you explain this belief and if there are examples of beaten up dividend stocks, CDN or US, can you recommend a few for long term holds?
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on December 16, 2016
Q: Your response to Brian on Dec 15 included the following comment: "if you own 85% of your portfolio in high dividend stocks, then this is more of a concern".

I am a retired, conservative, dividend-income investor, with a pension, CPP, annuities, the above listed stocks and 3 income producing MFs (RBC Cdn Equity Income, Sentry Cdn Income, Sentry Global REIT).

I fit the 85% easily. I believe my portfolio is diversified by sector and by security. I also believe the securities have, for the most part, sustainable and growing dividends. I am a "buy-and-hold investor with reasonable tolerance for volatility.

Your comments and concerns please, along with any recommended improvements. Thanks...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on December 16, 2016
Q: My "advisor" is encouraging me to switch out of Telus and buy Royal Bank instead. Rationale: Telus "is a defensive stock and will not do well in a rising interest environment".

Telus is my only communications holding, and I already own National Bank in the financial sector, in a portfolio weighted to as-secure-as-possible dividend income stream with DRIP wherever possible.

Your thoughts on this switch? I'm reluctant.
Read Answer Asked by Lotar on December 11, 2016
Q: I own PWF.PR.L, RY.PR.O, BMO.PR.Z about equal amounts for a total of $150K which is about 5% of my holdings. They have been softening recently, is it time to sell and what would recommend? I have about 20% in bonds and balance heavily skewed to finance, utilities, infrastructure.
Read Answer Asked by Pierre on November 23, 2016
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