Investment Q&A

Q: Hello 5i Team

It is that time of year when I start receiving the proxy materials for votes at the upcoming annual meeting.

One thing that I have noticed is the US companies mail out a simple 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" envelope with two pieces of paper, the meeting information notice and the voting instructions. Every thing else the management proxy circular and the annual report you have to download from the internet. This results in a small mailing and keeps the costs down.

The Canadian companies mail out an 8 1/2" x 11" package containing the voting instructions, an envelope, a flyer advertising "paperless" steps, sometimes the management proxy instructions and particularly the Canadian Banks a copy of the annual report. All this "excess" paper drives up costs for the companies (and reduces profit for investors).

I prefer the US system where the mailing is kept to the minimum. I am not interested in receiving the proxy notice via email as the Canadian system prefers to register each individual security with "Investor Vote" or the other Proxy companies. If I use the "paperless" option I have to register each individual security, which is confusing.

The two questions are:

1 - Why cannot the Canadian companies do what the US companies do? Is this a difference between the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US and the Canadian Security Commissions (all 13 of them !!!)

2 - Why can't the brokerage houses send me the notifications via their electronic system, just like they do with trade notifications and statements. I will be sending this question to my self-directed (discount) brokerage provider.

Thanks again for the excellent work.

Q: Market timing is generally frowned upon by professionals including 5I.I find myself selling a number of my positions because of valuations and good profitable outcomes. I also find that I am not redeploying that cash because of valuations! I firmly believe in taking profit and some of the greatest mistakes I have made are in regards to holding positions to long. To many times in my early investment life (the round trip) occurred. After a number of years I relized that you are investing 2 commodities "dollars and time" and I could not continue to keep exposing my dollars and losing time. So if I sell my winners and do not redeploy my cash in a timely fashion then I would seem to be guilty of "market timing".

Why am I so wrong!

Randy

Q: Hi Peter and Team,

What is the optimum % of cash to have on hand in an account? I know you frown upon market timing, but I was thinking to hold 5-10% in cash, to top up my positions in stocks within my portfolio during downswings in the market.

Thanks and keep up the great work.

Q: I've seen this referenced a couple times in the last few days. What is triple witching expiry?

Q: Hi Peter and Company :), CIBC and RY trading volumes today are well high above the average. Any idea?

Thanks again,

George

Q: I am concerned about a correction in the market (both USA and Canada) and am wondering if I should take some profit given the great run over the last 4 months and hold some cash for better buying opportunities should the correction occur later this year. Recent analysts on BNN are also calling for a defensive position with holding cash. What do you think about this strategy and what percent of a portfolio would you suggest to have in cash? Does 10 to 15% make sense? Thank you for your great service.
Deborah

Q: In my overall portfolio (RSP, RIF, Unregistered & TFSA) my low weighted sectors are:
2.5% in Telecom (BCE & T);
3% in Consumer Staples (WPK & ATD),
3% in energy (RRX, SPB, WCP, VET);
5% in Materials (SJ, SLW/FR, RUS);
6% in Health (GUD, SIS, ECI, CRH, CSH.un)
With the sale of RDM, I have some cash in my RSP which is mostly 'Balanced' equities. Which one or two of my underweight sectors would you consider the first place to deploy the cash in my RSP at this time? And what would your top stock selections be - of either my existing stocks, or new ones ? As always, thank you for your help.

Q: What is your view on market linked GIC's - BMO has one that guarantees your principle over 5 years and uses the interest to buy options etc. so investor can participate in some of the market upward performance. Is this a good strategy in a time and market that is well overdue for a major correction.

Q: Hello 5i team:
I understand that there are some issues regarding the lending practices of Home Trust and Equitable Trust. I understand that there some advisories to avoid adding new funds to these HISAs. Are their High Interest Savings Accounts-HISA-safe? I presume 100k CDIC safety net applies. Should one move the money anyway out of these HISA?
What are the other safer alternatives?
Many thanks.
Mano.

Q: Peter:

This week Ralph Garcea at Echelon Partners initiated coverage on Intrinsyc with a Spec. buy rating with a C$3.35 12m target. This is ITC's first analyst. As a former small cap fund manager did you pay attention to new reports from small cap's who are not raising capital? Do you think this report will begin to draw some institutional attention to ITC?

Q: if one thought that Canadian bank shares were overbought and expected them to decline in value over the next 12 months what shares/equities could be bought to profit from that opinion?

Q: Further to the questions today regarding a BNN guest comments on Tuesday Re: Exchange Income Corp., can you clarify the rules BNN has regarding their guests ability to trade in a stock they recommend. This may help member's perceptions of guests motivations.

Thank you.

Q: Hello,

I am gradually adding companies to my portfolio when the funds become available. My question is, should I also be selling portions of my stocks that are doing well to fund my next purchase? Or should I only do this if one stock has taken off and created a significant overweighting? I guess what I'm trying to decide is if it is more important to quickly diversify or to let time do its thing and patiently add companies when able.

Thanks,
Al

Q: Good morning 5i team,
How do you make the distinction between heat chasing (i.e. buying a stock that has gone up significantly due to popular demand) and momentum investing which you seem to like a lot and which, on the surface at least, consists in buying a stock that has been rising in price for some time? Going by all that I have read on investing, heat chasing is very risky and to be avoided while momentum investing is an approach you often recommend. When does momentum investing become heat chasing?
Robert

Q: If the government increases the capital gains tax, like it did in the past, does it affect the gains executed prior to March 22? If it doesn't apply to them, is there a reason NOT to sell my portfolio now and buy it back the same day? In my corporate account, I always will pay a 25% tax, whether I'm retired or not.

Q: Hi 5i,great information. Only wish I had found you sooner. I am a 60yr DYI investor, I inherited 100,000 and decided to invest with a CIBC financial advisor in a balanced ETF.
Now seeing your great site I am thinking to move my money, into one of your suggested model portfolio's (save on fees & diversify).
My personal investments are both ETF & stocks I am heavy in financials & precious metals. I have just recently started the google app which is helping me to identify where I am heavily weighted.
What are your thoughts to have mixed investments? Or move ahead doing all investments on my own? Looks like a lot of work to initiate but once engaged perhaps not so much work?

Thanks

What are your thoughts?

Q: Do you ever give any advice on market timing? For example, if you thought the market was at risk of a 5-10% correction, would you advise subscribers?

Q: Can you comment on an article posted on Yahoo Finance by a so called Crash Guru Sandy Jadeja who says the Dow could plunge by 30 percent this year. The dates to watch for are Marc 13 and May 11. How should small investors react to articles like this. Thank you.

Q: With anticipated increase in US interest rates fixed rate income investments are expected to suffer, examples are ZPL & PGL.

Any thoughts on why preferred shares are experiencing the opposite trend with substantial gains, examples TRP.PR.E & RY.PR.Z?

Q: Hello saviors,

Can you explain how beta of a security is different from equity risk premium? Aren't they essencially saying the same? Can you give me an example when you are comparing them?

Do you know a website that I can learn more about such topics?

Thank you!