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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: Last night I watched an Australian money manager talk about the benefits of Smart Beta ETFs. He mentioned the following which I expect are traded on the Australian exchanges but might also be traded in N America.

Yield shares high income, ishares FI balanced risk, Vanguard dividend appreciation as examples.

Are these the same as low volatility etfs we know about here - or are they another type of etf?

If so, what is your opinion on this type of etf for safety and likely better long term returns?
Read Answer Asked by Donald on May 18, 2017
Q: Hi Peter and Team

I own most of 5I balanced equity portfolio in my RRSP account and the following portfolio managed by Manulife / Standard life for RPP and TFSA.

19- Canadian Bond Index (SLI) 25%
344- Canadian Equity Growth (Connor, Clark & Lunn) 13%
26- Canadian Equity (Jarislowsky Fraser) 14%
49- US Equity - SSGA 14%
25- International Equity (SLI) 14%
11- Real Estate (SLIRE) 10%
677 - Global Absolute Return Strategies (SLI) 10%

I would like your opinion comparing these two portfolios especially in regard of risk, growth prospects, fees, and principle safety .Time horizon 5 to 10 years.
Thanks for your great service
Read Answer Asked by Yousef on May 18, 2017
Q: Hi Peter,
It's an interesting question by Brian re: Mega Bears, and your response makes total sense. I've always appreciated the view of Jim Rogers but he has been looking for total collapse as long as I recall. To your point eventually he will be right. A telling comment I read about Marc Faber is that he has correctly called 20 of the past 3 recessions. Where do you put the views of David Rosenberg in all this ?
Thank you. Paul
Read Answer Asked by Paul on May 17, 2017
Q: Can you give me a few names with the safest dividends and yielding over 3.5%? In evaluating dividend safety do you prefer to calculate the payout ratio vs earnings, operating cash flow or free cash flow? If FCF do you average CapEx over a few years or use depreciation as a proxy for stay in business CapEx?
Read Answer Asked by Andrew on May 16, 2017
Q: Over the last few years, I've become familiar with the likes of David Stockman, Marc Faber, Jim Rickards, Peter Schiff, Jim Rogers, and other well-known perma-bears. They spend a lot of time warning about sky high stock valuations, extreme asset inflation generally, the banning of cash, the importance of precious metals, impending market crashes, runs on banks, the freezing of stock exchanges, and other light fare. I try to balance their dire outlook with more sanguine perspectives, but I'm always wondering if some of the extreme scenarios they envision will ever materialize.

For instance, Marc Faber appeared on BNN a few days ago, warning that the share prices of some of the most successful companies are headed to zero in the coming years. He didn't specify which ones.

Are you familiar with any of these pundits, and should any of their warnings be taken seriously? Thanks for your thoughts. I'm due back at the bunker now...
Read Answer Asked by Brian on May 16, 2017
Q: Hi 5i Team,
I recently learned that Canada has enacted a "bail-in" regulation so that systemically important financial institutions can recapitalize by converting some of their liabilities (deposits) into capital should another financial shock occur. Is this fact? How does this regulation work and How does one avoid forced conversion of savings?

Thanks for you great service.
Regards,
Danny
Read Answer Asked by Danny on May 16, 2017
Q: Almost every investing article we read state "investors" doing whatever... Whenever I read that, I think of us little guys poring over our computers at the kitchen table. But I know better than that. I know "investors" are dominated by the big funds, insurance companies, pension funds, etc. But I'm curious. What percentage of investors are the retail investors?
Read Answer Asked by Fred on May 15, 2017
Q: I am considering this ETF. What would be the principal drivers of performance for this ZCM? My understanding was that the return of corporate bonds more closely parallel equities compared to government bonds, but I see that in 2015, ZCM still managed to eke out a positive return despite the overall decline in Canadian equities. I also note that it has produced a positive return every year since inception. How closely correlated to stock returns do you expect ZCM to be? What is the likelihood of this product generating a negative return in any one calendar year, and what kind of scenario might have to play out in order for that to happen?
Read Answer Asked by Walter on May 15, 2017
Q: With today's carnage on Bad and last weeks HCG and the fact that it is done from the States makes it obvious that shorting on the Canadian side is a lot easier and as you say without regulatory control. What makes it different in the States and why is it not here?
Read Answer Asked by Jean on May 15, 2017
Q: The stock options announced today seems very generous given the stocks history and current trading price.
Should I be concerned about this?
I currently hold 1% position.
Thanks
John


Calgary, Alberta - May 12, 2017 - FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (“FLYHT”) (TSX-V: FLY) (OTCQX: FLYLF) is pleased to announce it has granted incentive stock options for an aggregate 3,660,220 common shares, subject to regulatory approval, to employees, officers and directors under the stock option plan approved at the Annual and Special Meeting held on May 10, 2017.
Read Answer Asked by John on May 12, 2017
Q: My question is on over diversification - or indexing. My personal portfolio is over 8 figures. I currently hold 44 stocks spread accross the various sectors as shown below.

Technology 17%, Consumer Cyclical (Discretionary) 15%, Financial Services 15%, Industrials 11%, Consumer Defensive (Staples) 10%, Basic Materials, Metals, Mining 8%, Healthcare 8%, Communications / Telecom 5%, Energy 5%, Real Estate 3%, Utilities 3%.

The stock choices within are the BE portflio plus some top picks. With a portfolio of this size, my mind is having a hard time dropping the portfolio down to 20 stocks. I guess it is all relative. In your experience as a fund manager how many stocks are about right? I have adopted your style of buying a stock and holding it until the story has changed.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Terry on May 12, 2017
Q: Just an observation, wouldn't be better if (at least for the companies covered, and maybe for the ones mostly asked by members) when results are available or something unusual happens to a company to provide an overview of the situation? I think this will cut on the clutter and having many people asking about the same thing and probably more important save you time and for us to have timely information.

Publish at your discretion.

Thanks
M
Read Answer Asked by Marios on May 11, 2017
Q: Hi Peter/Ryan and team:
Two questions if you would be so kind to consider.
I have read numerous times your or members use of the term 'half position' Could you explain in layman's terms what is a half position and what is a full position. Maybe an example would clear it up for me.
Question #2 is about A&W's declared dividend.
"A&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund (the Fund) (TSX symbol AW.UN) today declared a cash distribution of 13.3 cents per trust unit for the period April 1 to April 30, 2017. The distribution will be paid to unitholders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2017, and will be payable on May 31, 2017. This distribution will be taxed as a non-eligible dividend, as the source of funds to pay the distribution is a dividend from A&W Trade Marks Inc." What and why is it they state the distribution will be taxed as a non-eligible dividend. Will this then be taxed like interest? If held in a Non-Registered account will this still be taxed at the preferred dividend rate, assuming a T3 slip is issued? Thanks again for all your answers to the many questions you receive. Ken ... :-)
Read Answer Asked by Ken on May 11, 2017