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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: I recently read a recommendation to sell rate reset preferreds because "the 5 year GOC has moved too far too fast from 0.40% one year ago to 1.80%+ now." They further worried that upside is limited from here, and downside is huge if there are no buyers.

I thought that we seemed to be in a period of rising rates and that a laddered portfolio of rate reset preferreds was a healthy option for part of one's portfolio, given a desire for some income. I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
Read Answer Asked by Bill on October 02, 2017
Q: I have two unrelated questions. In a $3 million portfolio, I have about 100 holdings, which I would like to greatly reduce. I have ENB, ENF, IPL, PPL, and TRP. I would like to reduce the number to one or two of those names. My interest is capital gains and a good dividend. Which pipeline company will give me the best capital gains and divide over the next five years?

The second question relates to REAL. I bought the new issue at $ 13 and the present price is only $10.62. Should I sell and repurchase in 30 days or just sell the stock. What is the future outlook and the next reporting date?
Read Answer Asked by George on October 02, 2017
Q: I am 85-years old, locking for a safe income investment. Like to have your advise on ENC.Pr.c Min Rate reset, FFH.PR.k 5-year rate reset, BMO.Pr.s 5-yr R.Rest Preferreds. How safe are they in a rising Int. rate rise? I would also appreciate you expert advise of your chaises. Many thanks, J.A.P. Burlington
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on September 29, 2017
Q: Please discuss dividend distribution schedules, monthly vs quarterly, in the context of DRIPS ("synthetic" DRIPS, by the brokers or trading platforms, which typically deal only in whole shares). A DRIP investor would want a dividend payment & schedule that yields sufficient dividend to buy new shares with the dividend.

SIS, which I recently added to my TFSA, has just changed to monthly dividends -- with not enough dividend to DRIP monthly unless I add more SIS, putting my SIS holdings at an uncomfortably-high allocation. My KBL has been in the same situation, for quite some time now.

What influences management to go to monthly from quarterly distribution?
Read Answer Asked by Lotar on September 28, 2017
Q: Further to the earlier questions on the Constellation Software debentures, the prospectus indicates that 5 years notice of redemption must be provided by the company. Given this, the earliest possible redemption date would be March 31st, 2023. Is my understanding of this correct?

"During the period beginning on March 16 and ending on March 31 of each year, the Company will have the right, at its option, to give notice to holders of Debentures of its intention to redeem the Debentures, in whole or in part, on March 31 in the year that is five years following the year in which notice is given, at a price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest up to but excluding the date fixed for redemption. For example, if the Company chooses to exercise its right to redeem the Debentures in March 2015, the Company would be required to deliver notice of such redemption to holders of Debentures during the period beginning on March 16, 2015 and ending on March 31, 2015, and the effective date of redemption would be March 31, 2020. Given the foregoing, the first possible redemption date is March 31, 2020."
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on September 26, 2017
Q: I note that CPD is included in your Income Portfolio (with a unit cost of $16.19). I purchased a significant holding of CPD in Nov. 2012 (at $17.30), and am understandably upset with the current market price of $14.09 (i.e., down 18.5% on the unit price basis). I have held on to this ETF for the monthly dividend flow (which has continuously shrunk), and with the hope that, when the tide turned in GOC 5-year rates, the unit price would recover. While individual preferred share issues that I hold have shown a marked price recovery in recent months, CPD not so much! I am curious to know why you include this ETF in your portfolio while I consider it to be the worst investment that I have ever made! Do you envision a day when the market price will recover to your purchase price level?
Read Answer Asked by Doug on September 25, 2017