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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 and Team,

I find that we need to buy some more in the Utilities sector, to keep to a 10% weighting. We presently have about a three-quarter position in each of AQN, BEP.UN, and FTS. Do you think that INE would be a good addition to this mix or is it too similar to AQN and BEP.UN? We can buy and sell XUT commission-free, but I notice that ZUT (not commission-free) has a better chart. Should I increase our positions in each of the three we already have, buy a new one, or top up with XUT/ZUT? Or is there a US ETF in this sector that looks compelling? Or perhaps in the present "climate", could the utilities sector weighting be reduced below 10%? What sector should take up the slack?

Thanks for all your great advice which has been and continues to be very valuable. A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you at 5i and the members as well.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on December 21, 2016
Q: I am thinking of selling GWO and PWF and replacing them with a 50/50 split of ZUB and ZBK. I would appreciate you thoughts.
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Elliott on December 21, 2016
Q: Good morning. I was watching an interview with David Rosenberg who commented that Japanese stocks had an attractive valuation compared to historical norms and should benefit from a depreciating yen. I see that you can buy CJP commission-free in iTrade so was considering it since I have no non-North American exposure. It would be held in RRSP with a long term horizon. Thanks for your insights. Steven
Read Answer Asked by Steven on December 19, 2016
Q: Thanks for your answer on ZUB - one basis point for hedging is neither here nor there. However, you refer to the "true" cost of hedging i.e. the efficiency of the mechanism, and I wonder if there is a gradual slippage over time such as you get with the (leveraged?) inverse ETF's where you never get back to your start point. In those cases I believe the slippage is significant over time - enough in theory to make it worth shorting the inverse product. Point is I expect to hold ZUB for some time - years potentially - and would like to hedge but think I have to avoid the cost of extended incremental slippage.
Read Answer Asked by Mike on December 19, 2016
Q: I am a senior and a long time dividend investor. I have found that patience and having some cash on hand to buy bargains have paid off handsomely over the years. When stocks go down, dividends go up and I simply buy more. Eg. BMO@ 56.00, Sunlife@19.00, Fortis@29.00 etc. Except in rare instances (Manulife) the dividends just keep coming. I mostly agree with everything John Heintzl says in his G&M columns. Recently he wrote "I supplement my dividend holdings with diversified ETF holdings". Can you suggest some specific ETFs to balance & diversify my Canadian large cap dividend stocks?
Read Answer Asked by wayne on December 19, 2016
Q: I have owned this fund SPR006 for 10 years of ups and downs. Is currently just above water and would like your opinion in the current environment, Hold ? Sell ? replace with what ? possibly at lower carrying costs. Appreciate your advice.
John
Read Answer Asked by JOHN on December 19, 2016
Q: There is currently a plethora of ways to invest in the US Market without touching sector funds. Would you use any of the above ETFs and if so in what proportion or would you suggest using any other US ETFs as well. High conviction US Mutual funds are also an option; but the fees are somewhat higher. I currently have no US coverage and am looking at establishing a 15-20% position. I know timing is a bit of a quess; but with the recent run up would you please suggest a strategy?

Thanks and
A very Merry Christmas to all
Read Answer Asked by Warren on December 19, 2016
Q: Do you prefer:
(i) the 3 ETF Canadian Couch Potato Portfolio (VAB, VCN, VXC) (ii) the 11 ETF Canadian Money Saver Portfolio (CBO, XBB, CPD, XIC, CDZ, XGD, VEE, VE, SPY, VIG, IWO; or
(iii) something in-between?

Also, do you have any thoughts on Norm Rothery's Hot Potato (a take on the Canadian Couch Potato
- http://www.moneysense.ca/save/investing/spicier-couch-potato-portfolio/ )

Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Jonathan on December 19, 2016
Q: Questions and answers often refer to "positions" half or full. Can you define that please.
Also what ETF's would you recommend for muscular gains. I see some resource units have year performances of over 60%
Read Answer Asked by Ryczard on December 16, 2016
Q: I assume hedging is a two way street - you get protection back to Can$ if the US $ falls but lose the gain associated with a US$ rise, and there is a cost to provide this?? So if the US$ looks strong going forward relative to the Looney is this the best strategy and are there other US banking sector ETF choices. What do you think?
Read Answer Asked by Mike on December 16, 2016
Q: I am thinking of investing in U.S. large cap companies more specifically an ETF. Are you better off to invest in a fund like SPY (U.S. dollars) or in the other canadian fund base companies like HXS,VUN or XUS. I noticed that the ytd. return is approx. 14% for SPY versus the others at %7% for this current year.
Read Answer Asked by serge on December 15, 2016
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