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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: Good morning team. I'm sitting on large gains on these three in my TFSA. (thanks 5i) As might be expected their position sizes have become rather large and I am cognizant of the concern that "pigs get slaughtered"! Sooo, what to do. I sold half of Shopify some years ago and diversified into Unity Software and Lightspeed. We know how that went. Should have kept all the Shop! I'm comfortable with a large position in CSU but I'm wondering if it's time to trim some Nvidia. What are your best 3 tech ideas for diversifying my TFSA. (I also hold most of 5i's other canadian tech companies.)Also, could you suggest 3 good ideas for diversifying away from tech? Thank you, Rod
Read Answer Asked by Rod on July 30, 2025
Q: I have a portfolio of 25 individual stocks (diversified among most sectors) with no ETFs. Within this portfolio I own companies that trade in CAD and the US but have operations and/or varying degrees of revenue in other countries such as CLBT, AXON, TOI, VHI, UBER, BKNG, WSP, TRI, BN and some of the MAG 7 with their worldwide reach such as GOOG. I often wonder if this is adequate international exposure for a healthy portfolio or should I have a specific international ETF?
I have not been a fan of ETFs due to the often wide exposure that can include "the best along with less than the best" (and they are boring, :), haha). But for long term growth and healthy diversification I often consider opening a position in an international ETF such as VIU.
But then I face my conundrum. In the past 5 years the return on VIU has been 41.4% (Yahoo Finance). Perhaps my expectations are out of line, but I would not be happy (and I would be bored, :), ) with the same return from VIU in the next 5 years. Even a conservative Canadian bank with some international operations such as RY has done 90% in the past 5 years (Yahoo Finance). It seems to me that I must give up too much possible growth in order to achieve a healthy level of international diversification through the instrument of an international ETF.
Perhaps this is a conundrum that need not be solved, but do you have any thoughts that may lead to a wiser investment perspective or a needed tempering of my expectations?
As always, thank you for your excellent service.
Cal
Read Answer Asked by Calvin on July 17, 2025
Q: I'd like to either start a 4% position in TRI or bring the other 4 positions up closer to 5%. Also I could just start a smaller position in TRI and bring the others up a bit, distributing funds across the names. If you could rank order these names, it might help me decide. As is, now MSFT and AMZN are quite small positions. Would any be affected by Tariffs? Just not sure how bullish you are on TRI vs the others. Thank you very much for continued great investment analysis.
Read Answer Asked by Gordon on July 16, 2025
Q: Hi, I'm thinking of initiating a position in one of these. Thinking of three plus years and the highest growth. How would you rank these in order, and please give a good entry/price. Please note that I just submitted a question but forgot to include DOL and GIB.A. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by GeeMac on July 15, 2025
Q: Hi 5i,

I am Canadian and holding the above stocks. I am so upset that brk.b not do well these days, because I am holding 2/3. 1/3 are holding the rest including RY, TRI, CNR, CP, ENB, DOL. would you please comment above stocks. I am not an aggressive person but look for re-balance to get better sleep.

Many thanks.
Read Answer Asked by kwokwai on July 15, 2025
Q: Hi 5i team
Let me start by thanking you all for you valuable insights into markets and stock valuations through the years. My question is regarding a tfsa portfolio. I am considering reducing amount of stocks to 20. Which 6 stocks would you let go in order of first to sell to last. Secondly, could you give me a brief opinion/ comment on my present holdings in a tfsa and if there's value in keeping status quo.
Thanks as always
Gilles
Read Answer Asked by Gilles on June 27, 2025
Q: BN is sitting at 7.5%, AXON - BKNG are 5% and the rest are 3% positions totaling approx. 83% of my stock assets. I have some 1-2% positions in my cash account (GSY, ATZ, PRL, CLBT, HPS.a, BNS,SU, TMDX, TVK and CNQ. I'm heavy tech, financials and industrials going into H2 2025. Would you add to, remove or change anything is this was your account (assuming you're 52 and plan to retire in 8 years). Not looking for a person allocation but rather if it was you, what might you be looking to adjust, if anything. Note I have no utilities currently. Thanks and have a great weekend.
Read Answer Asked by Don on June 24, 2025
Q: Could you please recommend five moderately conservative stocks that you believe will prove to have been a sensible buy 5 to 10 years down the road.
Read Answer Asked by william on June 19, 2025
Q: Hi Peter, the results for ENGH look a bit soft. Can you provide your opinion on the results and if you think it would be a value buy now with the dividend. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Frank on June 06, 2025
Q: Which names in the Growth and Balanced portfolios respectively do feel best about currently for a 3-5 year hold? Any related sector comments?

With thanks.
Read Answer Asked by David C. on June 03, 2025
Q: Hit "enter" to fast on my last question. Looking for some ideas with the understanding you can't offer direct recommendations. I have 40 K to add to my non-reg account. I have full positions in all the pipelines, OLY, GWO, BNS, CU, NPI, BIR, PEY, TPZ, CNQ, PRL and BMO. I have no need for any income for at least five years, not opposed to going overweight if necessary, have lots of higher yielders so would perhaps benefit from some choices with capital gain and dividend growth potential versus just high yield.
Read Answer Asked by Art on April 30, 2025
Q: Hello 5i,
There have been many negative questions regarding Tariffs and other non-Canadian officials. Wondering if it makes sense to look to those Canadian companies that would benefit from the upcoming April 28, 2025 event results.
Following is my list of questions for you – please feel free to take as many credits as you require since I typically don’t use many.
• The clear winner looks to be BAM/BN/BIP/BEP with the massive housing & project build plans. Some housing build plans look to be well beyond anything the private sector has ever seen. Outside of investing in BAM/BN/BIP/BEP are there any other companies that will experience increased growth rates? Perhaps Canadian Only Lumber Companies, Steel, etc.… Being careful to ensure the industrial carbon tax doesn’t offset any building growth rates.
• Looks like major projects are going to be built to save the country from the tariffs. Assuming these are going to be non-conventional energy would the companies such as BAM/BN/BIP/BEP/WSP, benefit the most? Are there any other companies to start looking at? Perhaps carbon capture companies?
• I wonder if there are any areas of benefactors increasing/decreasing the amount of tax havens in Canada? There are a fair number of mid/small companies that could setup a beneficial tax structure and become more profitable. My experience with setting up offshore structures is that there are setup/dismantle/maintenance costs with Lawyers and Accountants but perhaps other benefactors are investable. Are there any publicly traded Accounting or Legal companies to start watching?
• With proposed additional spend to media companies are there any benefactors? Will BCE benefit from the overall plan? Are there companies worth looking at in the media sector?
• With the additional military spend are there any companies in Canada to invest in? I have a small position in MAL which could benefit from Canada built fighter jets. Is BBD.B a good one to look at?
• After reviewing the proposed firearm buyback pricing list, the overall program looks to be worth ~$2B in 2025 for Canadians. My question is could there be benefactors to this spend? Maybe ~$2B is not enough to stimulate the economy considering the current spending levels but it reminds me of a COVID-like spend bump. Assuming a large portion of the funds will be redistributed back into the economy.
• Health care seems to be getting an increased focus compounded with the buy Canada therefore are there any pure Canadian pharmaceutical/healthcare companies that will benefit? I have a SIS position that I could add to if they are going to be benefactors. Are there any companies that provide safe site vending machines or building structures?
Read Answer Asked by Dean on April 17, 2025
Q: Retired investor with RIF and pension income looking to deploy capital to generate growth (moderate risk) and income. Please provide 5 companies each in the US and Canada to investigate further for investment soon. Canadian banks and utilities owned, so please exclude those.
Read Answer Asked by Joel on April 16, 2025
Q: If Peter had to give three picks on BNN Market Call that were Canadian, what would they be?
Read Answer Asked by Roberto on March 31, 2025