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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: Hi Peter. To my dismay, I currently hold too many pipelines... Enbridge, Pembina, & Inter Pipeline. I wish to cut 2 of the positions and then possibly pickup Algonquin Power. I also own Fortis & Emera. Which pipeline would you suggest keeping, and your reasoning behind it. Also, do you feel 3 power utilities would then be too many and if so, which 2 would you prefer? I welcome your input. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Ron on April 16, 2018
Q: I currently own in my RRSP the following stocks : GUD, KXS, SLF, SIS, AQN (1/2) and FTS (1/2). I have 6K$ that I would like to add to only two or three of those stocks to avoid too much trading costs.
I have a longterm timeframe (20years +) for my RRSP and am diversified across my other accounts.
I was thinking of KXS, SLF and SIS first, but utilities also look quite cheap to me these days.
What would be your selection? I'd rather not add a new position to avoid having to many...
Read Answer Asked by Julien on April 16, 2018
Q: My wife and I currently have 6.8% of our combined retirement savings invested in ENF. As we have made this acquisition quite recently, we are neither up nor down on this investment. We've just received the company's 2017 annual report and I'd appreciate your confirmation of a key financial metric, I see noted within the information we've received.

On page 4 of the 2017 Annual Report I see an indication that the company's Dividend Payout Ratio climbed from a level of 86.9% in 2016 to level of 96.1% in 2017. My first question is: Am I correct in understanding that the firm therefore paid out 96.1% of all it's net income in 2017?

The reason I ask that question is that the information we received includes a very clear statement of the company's intention to continue to raise their already very generous dividend by 10% in each of 2019 and 2020. They point to planned future projects, they seem to feel should make those targets eminently achievable.

If they are already paying out 96.1% of their net income, won't they likely need to grow that income by at least 10% in any year in which they might wish to increase their dividends by 10%; if they wish that dividend level to be sustainable over the longer term?

How likely do you feel their targets for income growth and dividend growth might be?
Please know that we can tolerate substantial swings (declines) in the price per share of this holding, provided we believe the dividends are both sustainable and likely to grow at least at the rate of inflation, going forward. Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Richard on April 16, 2018
Q: I am looking at VGG as a way to use Canadian dollars to acquire a reasonable number (around 70 I believe) of dividend growing US large caps. Do you think this ETF makes sense for US exposure to dividend growers or would you prefer to invest using US dollars and select 5 or 6 dividend growers (any suggestions in that case). Lastly do you consider this a sensible investment strategy for part of a balanced portfolio at this time for a 3 year hold. I appreciate your input as always - Ken
Read Answer Asked by Ken on April 11, 2018
Q: Hi 5i
If one purchased KBL believing in long-holding support near $38, the fact the internal investments looked good going forward and the business is relatively stable to growing, how much further below the break of technical support would a good and profitable investor give this name?
Current price is $36.01, trend is down on small daily volume and on no news.
It is beginning to look more like I purchased into a stock that is continuing a three year down trend.
Is this an exit given the price decline does not appear to be abating?
Or does one continue to hold for the business stability and future benefits from investments?
It did not appear to me as though I was buying into a stock in a down trend but the chart is showing me a different reality.
Thoughts on this situation?
Thanks
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on April 11, 2018
Q: I am looking at these two small cap companies as an entry in to the aviation sector. Both pay a nice dividend. Please comment on the secureness of their dividend; quality of their balance sheet; growth prospects and company specific issues ( ie EIF short position).
Would you pick one over the other or neither?
Thanks
Derek

Read Answer Asked by Derek on April 11, 2018
Q: I can emphasize with Paul in his question on fixed income guaranteed to fall. But,I was not too clear on your answer. You note that we should seek diversification and look over the long and not the short term, saying that the return for products such as xbb will show better if we look five years back. But, doesn't that just beg the question? We are looking five years out and we are thinking that things are not going to be like they were in the past. So, does this new reality not call for another strategy? I am aware that there aren't many alternative stratagies, other than holding more stocks. But, I don;t think looking to the past history helps us here.
thanks
Read Answer Asked by joseph on April 10, 2018
Q: Hi 5i. FI = Fixed Income

My (6) FI holdings with rough total returns (including MER & dividends) for period held (average ~ 1.5 years): CBO -1.3%, CPD +15.0%, HFR +1.7%, XBB -2.2%, XHY+5.5%, LQD -0.6%.

NOTE: LQD not selectable, so picked HYG for question above.

Question: I understand the reasoning behind having the above FI holdings in my portfolio, but holding CBO & XBB seems like a sure way to lose money. So why not move CBO & XBB holdings to HFR (and possibly also XHY) which at least returns me ~ +1.7% pretty reliably? Your opinion on my FI mix would also be appreciated.

Thank you for continued solid wise advice.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on April 10, 2018
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