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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, Ryan, and Team,

I understand the rationale for different weighting of sectors among the three portfolios. You've stated in the past that we should look at our entire portfolio to "determine where we stand", and I've done this for my RRIF, my wife's RRSP, both of our TFSA's and our joint Margin Account. I use Google Sheets to track this entire portfolio. My question is this: In a 'composite" portfolio, how can one determine the appropriate sector weighting, or is it purely a personal choice? For example, Technology is 21.38% of the Balanced Equity Portfolio, 32.05% of the Growth Portfolio, and 7.26% of the Income Portfolio. In our 'composite' portfolio, Technology has a weighting of 10.83% of the portfolio's equity portion. So I suppose my question would be "How do I know that my weightings are appropriate, and once weightings are chosen, do I stick with them? Or should they vary for different points in the economic cycle?"

I have another question that I'm hoping can be answered by one of our computer-savvy members: As mentioned, I use Google Sheets to track our portfolio which can "capture" the stock price for popular indexes like the TSX. However, there's a "new kid on the block", namely the Aequitas Neo index, and I haven't been able to "capture" prices to be inserted into Google Sheets automatically. As an example, a Canadian Money Saver top-rated ETF, (CLU) is no longer listed on the TSX, but is now listed on the Aequitas Neo index. Do any 5i members know how to accomplish this "price capturing"?

Given that there are several questions in this long-winded question, please deduct as many question credits as you deem necessary. Thanks for all your help! Now I'm going to watch Peter on BNN which I PVR'd earlier!
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on June 08, 2017
Q: I am wondering how to proceed...SIS is held in a well balanced "balanced" portfolio and now it's weighting is 7.8% with 55% unrealized gain. (SIS position is held in TFSA). I'm wondering
which "rule" I follow now....reduce the weighting or let the winner run? How do I decide which one to follow for SIS? Or do I do a compromise and cut the weighting to 6% rather than 5%?
Read Answer Asked by Tom on June 06, 2017
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan and co

My TFSA, RRSP, and RESP is entirely comprised of the model portfolio, and about half of the growth portfolio. The stocks I selected from the growth portfolio in particular has done very well so far. However, this means that I currently don't have any exposure to the US or international markets, other than VGG.TO, which I hold a 3% position in my RESP.

I have some funds I would like to invest in a non-registered account, which would represent roughy 10% of my total aggregate investments. Can you please provide some suggestions on what you think I should invest in for better balance, while maintaining a medium-aggressive investing style?
Read Answer Asked by Eric on June 06, 2017
Q: Would like to know if I am calculating the amount of the reduction in weighting for a particular position. This is how I do it....I take the current market value of the position, say 7% of the current market value of the portfolio, and deduct the original book, cost value, which is 5% for this position in the total money to be invested in the portfolio, and then sell this difference at market price at that sell date.....Am I doing it right?!
........Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on June 05, 2017
Q: There were a couple comments today referring to a stocks yield based on the initial investment (which could 1 year ago or 10 years ago or more). I have seen this come up here before and on investment chat lines I follow. It seems to me that investment decisions should be based on the current situation (current yield, fundamentals, or whatever) and that yield on initial investment is somewhat meaningless other than as a pleasing way to view a successful investment. What am I missing? Could you comment?
Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by grant on June 05, 2017
Q: 5i team what would be your thoughts on adding some leveraged funds to my taxable account. The lending rate would be locked in at 2.99% for a year and then if no other promotional offers next year maybe in the 4% range after that. I would be investing the entire amount into ZDV with a dividend of 4.4%.

I can re invest the distributions monthly at no cost with Questrade. And the interest on the loan would be a tax write off.

How much of my portfolio would be the max to leverage (5%-20%) how long term should I be thinking to hold ZDV. Or any other candidates for ETFs?

Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Kyle on June 05, 2017
Q: Hello, as I watched the EFN episode today,I can't help to think how fragile the market really is.With the market just itching for a good correction, do you think it would be wise or prudent to cash up now say 25-35% + and wait for the inevitable to come?
I realize this is timing the market and no one can tell when this will happen,but for the conservative investor who has seen it before,it seems like it's time.
Read Answer Asked by Brad on June 01, 2017
Q: Paying only casual attention to your recommendations I have unrealized capital gains in my account to pay your membership fees for the next 250 years.
Had I been more astute/aggressive this number would be in the thousands.
My questions:
1. When you have cash in your model portfolios do you ever add to existing positions rather than add a new name to the portfolio?
2. Could you add a column to your portfolio summary page that would indicate the month and year that a stock was first included in the portfolio?
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on June 01, 2017
Q: Hi, I have these two stocks in the energy sector for about two years. Down on avg. about 25-30%. I really have no faith that this sector will rebound anytime soon,but I'm in just for my sector weighting, and watching it go down every month.
I don't feel this is a good reason to own a stock.If you have a good stock in a bad sector you could be waiting 5 years or more to break even.
Why not get out of the sector and at least wait till the whole sector is up at least 10% before getting back in with the possibility of upward momentum? 5 years or longer is a long time to wait for any sector recovery.
Thanks

Read Answer Asked by Brad on June 01, 2017
Q: HI Peter and Team,

I would like to add a response to one of your previous posts re the stock action in EFN and ECN today.

As you say there can be many reasons why a stock loses 40% of its value in 10 minutes or so.
I do find it disturbing that a short attack or the rumour of a short attack in this case,can cause such technical damage that it may take weeks or even months for the stock to fully recover. CRH was another stock that recently fell victim to this activity. This appears to be happening more and more and the regulators do nothing and the so called circuit breakers employed by the TSX never seem to kick in until it is too late if at all. However these same circuit breakers do seem to be very effective in halting a stock if it going up at a rapid rate.
I know one of your mandates is to help level the playing field for us lowly retail investors and is very much appreciated,but unless the TSX/Regulators do something to curb these destructive activities then the retail investor will always be at a disadvantage and remain cannon fodder for these unscrupulous shorters.

Peter
Read Answer Asked by Peter on June 01, 2017
Q: Can you provide some data points around dividend "growers" companies and if not available dividend companies in general. Current P/E forward looking vs. historic average and ranges. Just wanting to get an idea on how much higher than the average these stocks are currently compared to historic levels, how overvalued they "may" be to help assess downside risk. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Husseinali on May 31, 2017
Q: If I may add my two cents worth to the question from Valdis re RRSP or RFSA, another advantage for the TFSA is estate concerns. When a person passes on, should there be say, $100,000 in an RRSP or RRIF, that RRSP or RRIF will be added to the final net income and therefore, attract a huge bill from the tax man. On the other hand, the TFSA will be passed on to the heirs tax free. In this situation, an individual is better off to convert as much as possible from his/her RRSP/RRIF to the TFSA, depending on the current income tax situation (take every opportunity to do so). The TSFA is, of course, paid with tax paid dollars whereas the RRSP pre-tax dollars.
Read Answer Asked by Fred on May 30, 2017