Investment Q&A

Q: Just a comment regarding Dave's question on HCG...
When I have a stock that is overweight in my portfolio (or I have made a nice profit on), I often will write a covered call at a strike price that I am comfortable with. This ensures that I keep my weighting appropriate and removes the "emotion" from the decision to sell. Why not get a premium for selling a stock you had planned on trimming in the first place.

Please publish if you think this would benefit others.

Thanks,

Q: I have a similar (nice) problem to that posted by David. I bought a half position in HCG and saw it go up 15% in a couple of weeks. Tempting though it is to cash out and take my wife out for a good dinner, I still want to purchase the other half position as it was my intention all along (I am a long term invester). I am not trying to "time" the market, but it is 1) a small cap (the other financials I hold are RY, BNS and MFC); and 2) the market is gittery to say the least. So the question is: what is the reason for HCG to rise so fast? Short covering? As always, thanks again. Henry

Q: any idea why SYZ is down so much today

Q: Considering buying Enbridge here, don't have any energy related stocks currently(except for what's in VCX). Would you suggest adding ENB or adding to MDA already held and down over 25%. Adding would bring it a percentage point or so above equal weight in a 12 stock portfolio, having already averaged down once at around $86(bought at around 96 originally)Thanks.

Q: How do you handle situations where you initiate a position and in less than two weeks it runs up 20%. This happened in Home Capital and I am struggling with the decision on keeping or selling.
There has been much volatility in the markets in general and on this name that it would be hard to see it drop back to the 25-27 range and not have taken profits. I feel my position is not large enough to sell just half and keep half to trade around the name.
Thanks

Q: Hi Peter,
Any idea why Home capital is surging ahead in the last few days? Thanks

Q: pleas explain the announcement by DHX this morning regarding dual class shares to be treated as single for purpose of early warning reporting and take over bids. Have they been approached? thank you for all your help.

Q: What is it that is ailing BIN? I've wanted to buy it now for some time, yet something keeps holding me back.

Apart from your in-house report, I've read quite a lot on this company, because it seems such a logical, slam-dunk, no-brainer (and many other metaphors to accompany that thought) that it should be doing so much better than it is. Yet, it is trading lower now than in January, and nothing seems to shake it out of its doldrums.

Does it have more competition in the space than we (retail investors) are aware? Is it an organic ailment (no pun intended, given the nature of the industry?) Is it management? Is is just the sluggish market?

I would think even in a sluggish market, we're producing more waste than ever before in history, and consuming at such a rate that it makes cockroaches blush, and yet ...

I'd appreciate a gut-reaction, experienced investor's hunch on what's up with BIN.

Thanks very much, as always.

Q: Good morning. I read their report this morning, and the stock has been declining for quite a while. The payout ratio has increased and I am wondering whether to hold it any longer..It is in My Riff and I am below my cost. Could you please give your advice Peter as I value your opinion. Thank you,

Q: At the present time there seems to be a bottleneck in the TPP deal
with respect to auto and auto parts manufacturers.Between MG and LNR,which one is less likely to be impacted if a TPP deal reduces
the the minimum percentage of auto parts required in cars
manufactured in the U.S.,Canada, and Mexico as outlined under NAFTA? Thanks, Joe

Q: Any thoughts on Cervus at these levels as a 'bottom fishing' long term hold. Looks pretty cheap here against past growth rates. Think the dividend is safe?

Q: Hi,
I am surprised by the big drop of Avigilon over the last little while. What has caused it/what do you think of its valuation right now?
Thanks!

Q: Any thoughts after listening to the conference call? I believe this was supposed to be there seasonally strong quarter. Does it make sense to lighten up at all.

Q: Is CSH classified as a REIT for tax purposes? I don't have much room in my registered accounts so are any of CSH, HR, MST, REF or REI better to hold in registered versus a non-registered account due to the nature of their distributions?

Q: I hold 3 stocks per main section allocation and have HCG as my financial anchor (through thick and thin - as my three main inspirations Jason Donville, Mawer's Martin Ferguson and yourself are still constructive on it); I also hold AD. I sold RFC for a couple reasons including captial tax loss to offset gains elsewhere.

Which financial stock would complement well HCG (and AD)? CXI, EFN, EH, Fiera, other??

Assume an otherwise diversified portfolio for long term investor (doing well mostly except my financials!!). Dividend is nice to have but I am focusing on stock's total return as primary criterion.

Q: What is your opinion on cf? My purchase price is 9$. Do you suggest averaging down or exit altogether at a loss? It is in a tfsa, so there is no tax loss advantage, but want to get out if there is not much growth. Thanks

Q: Peter. Can you please comment on earnings report. They look fantastic but I don't know what consensus numbers were. Makes up for CXI miss. Thanks. Chris

Q: There was a trading halt on AG Growth International late Wednesday afternoon due to "pending news" which was lifted at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning before the opening bell. I have searched the company website and can't find any reason for such a halt. Do you guys have any idea what's going on? Thanks!

Q: I have 425 shares of GH and underwater about 11.5% Not a huge loss and I am happy to keep holding since its only a 1.94 % weighting in my portfolio. My comments or questions is in relations to the following announcement.

http://www.stockhouse.com/news/press-releases/2015/09/09/great-canadian-gaming-awarded-first-bundle-in-ontario-gaming-modernization

Great Canadian gaming has been awarded the first phase or bundle of casinos or slots from OLG. From my understanding there is more to come. Do you think Gamehost would try to move in Ontario with some assets OLG is giving up? Also how do the deal fair for Great Canadian Gaming? Is it safe to assume they get the rest of OLG's assets or does another company come in? Looks like a positive in my opinion long term for GC. Your thoughts please. Thanks Jimmy

Q: Hi, 5i

Do you recommend we pick up another half or quarter position in CXI with the drop, or should we wait until we hear the call and then assess at that time?

Thanks,
Robert