Investment Q&A

Q: Can I have your thoughts on ENV, Envestnet? Thank-you.

Q: Hi there, as a follow up to your response regarding SCB, would today's news regarding CXI license also be positive for SCB? Maybe that's why SCB has been moving up as of late, as pending license's are going to be approved finally! Reading between the lines, people in the know may be positioning themselves! Your take would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Q: Hello Peter,
I was not able to find the symbol XLF (the US financial sector ETF) on your site so am hoping you can assist. The ETF contains Brk.B, BAC, etc Today, the index fell more than 15% and the news appears to be related to the following:
"Effective on the date of index reconstitution, the Financial Select Sector Index will include securities of companies from the following industries: diversified financial services, insurance, banks, capital markets, consumer finance, thrifts and mortgage finance, and mortgage real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Real Estate Select Sector Index includes real estate management, development and REITs, with the exception of mortgage REITs". If this is true, I am assuming the company that creates the ETF wants to make it more diversified. If so, why would the index fall so much? Is it because investors wanted a concentrated ETF as opposed to the diversified one. From my understanding the XLF before today is similar to the XFN for Cdn Banks and insurance. Thanks very much.

Q: Peter, I also noticed that my XLF has dropped over 17% today, with heavy trading. I verified this with Scotia Itrade. Can you tell me the reason for the drop?

Q: Is now a good time to buy Wells Fargo?

Q: Good morning! Could you please give me your thoughts on adding Blackstone Group (BX) to my RIF account? I hold mostly dividend paying low beta stocks and some bond etf's. BX has a good dividend and appears to be at a low for the year.

Q: Would you recommend buying SLF now for a long term hold?
Also, do you know how much of the company's business is non-life insurance (general insurance)? I think long term climate change will result in more wild weather over the next decade so I am more interested in life insurance.

Thank you.

Q: What are your thoughts on the insurance companies in Canada versus US in general. Interest rates seem to affect the performance of the insurers and with the US on track for at least some small increase in rates in the not too far off future, I wondering if switching from Manulife (my current holding) to a US insurer (Aflac perhaps) in a registered account makes sense.

Q: Hi Peter and Gang,

I have been holding MFC for 1 1/2 years now and it just keeps trending lower, I am therefore considering switching from MFC to Sun Life. Is this move advisable?

Thanks,

Harry

Q: Hello Guys,

How do you feel about these two insurance companies ? Currently, my position in insurance companies is strictly GWO. I am considering taking my loss in GWO, selling some GWO and purchasing SLF to better balance that sector.

Q: Good afternoon,

Would you increase holdings in hcg at this time; the model portfolio is slightly underweight on the equity as am I. With the stock repurchase plan announced, would you go to 5-6% of total portfolio?

Thanks,

Eric

Q: I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the effect of a US Fed Rate increase on Canadian Bank stocks.

Thanks,

Peter

Q: Hi 5i Research team, I have a long term horizon, and I am a patient and more of a growth oriented investor profile. As interest rates are very low (they have been for a while, I agree), if, instead of investing in REITs, banks, fund managers and insurance companies to obtain my financial sector exposure, I invest in a combination of other "financials" such as AIF, CXI, TCN, TNC, HCG, DH, what would I be missing? What exposures? What additional risks would I incur? Do you have other quality suggestions to complement this short list of other financial stocks? With such a group, are your main large cap recommendations in this sector (BNS, SLF) still necessary? Thank you, Eric

Q: HCG is now down over 50% in my TFSA. I keep telling myself, "don't think about what it WAS worth, think about what it is," but my emotions keep getting in the way of my thinking. Given HCG's current prospects, is this a reasonable place for a senior to leave a now much smaller portion of her portfolio, or should I just take my losses and look for a less volatile stock? ( It seems volatile to me, but perhaps that's those emotions again) Many thanks

Q: A changing of the guard at Aston Hill: your views?

Q: I was wondering if your response to Eugene this morning regarding CI Financial would also apply verbatim to FSZ? I work in the financial services industry and I share your concerns for growth in these companies. The dividend is great and I assume reasonable secure but do you hold much hope of the stock price ever rising? The share price is about where is was 2 years ago.

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.

Q: CI Financial is approaching almost 6% dividend and I'm interested in the income. What do you think of the stock if held for income and any reason why I should I hold off buying today?

Q: Can you explain the e recent weakness in SLF

Q: i bought efn because it was financial operating in a different niche than the banks or lifeco's. i'm looking to add some more and bring it up to 1/2 position in my portfolio. add now or wait for the split? if wait for the split, stick to the leasing business?

Q: X has had a run up recently. Still, I see a forward P/E approx. 13 times. 1.1 price to book and under 12 price to cash.
I do love to compund "toll road" dividends. BUT, is X truly a toll road these days? Some comment about competion in the space, but who exactly are the competitors? I don't want to buy the stock only to see it become "Uberized" by new technology in a short or medium term.
I am looking for a long term hold and hoping dividend increases are on the way. Set it and forget it.
Your thoughts please. Keep up the great work and many thanks.

Cheers
John