Investment Q&A

Q: The stronger canadian dollar seems to be having a negative effect on USA or Global mutual funds invested in Canadian even when market upticks.Could you explain this. /

Q: In light of the expected infrastructure spending in the upcoming federal budget, which of Aecon, SNC Lavelin, or WSP Global is best positioned to benefit? Are there other companies that you would prefer?

Q: What sectors would you be overweight in these days?

Q: I'm following your sector suggestions for my income portfolio.
I have all sectors bought but Telcos and Cons staples. The Telcos are trading high right now so I'll buy them lower. I'm puzzled with the 15% Consumer Staples for an income portfolio. Except for NWC the average yield is in the 1.30% range and they are trading high in their range. I'm considering omitting the Staples and replacing them with another sector or increasing another sector. The sectors you suggested with their percentages are as follows. Utility 15% Industrial 10% Con Disc 10% Energy 5% Financial 20% Materials 5% Info Tech 5% Health 10% Telco 10% unfilled.

Please provide your comments. Thanks.

Q: Do you,or any of your staff attend any agm I find it very informative a few years ago I attended the agm of PBh and I expanded my position as a result
Just a comment
Regards Stan

Q: Peter; I thought this was very interesting - particularly the performance number. Publish if you wish .RodThere are interesting items from a JP Morgan report on concentrated stock ownership called The Agony and the Ecstasy: Since 1980, 320 of the S&P 500 companies have been deleted for business distress reasons, 40 percent of all stocks have suffered a permanent 70 percent plus decline from their peak value, the median stock in the Russell 3000 index was down 54 percent, and two thirds of all stocks underperformed versus the Russell 3000 Index and for 40 percent, their absolute returns were negative. Those are tough statistics. Further, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices, and reported by Barron’s, just 18 percent of large-cap managers have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 10 years.

Q: I would like a clearer understanding of what the VIX is and when an investor would buy or sell it. THANKYOU!

Q: I have $ 5500 in cash in my TFSA. I currently hold AW-UN plus GIC's in my TFSA. What would you suggest for the $ 5500 in cash, I may need the money in 6 years.

Shirley

Q: With so many countries issuing bonds with negative yields, I find it hard to believe that anyone would invest in negative yield bonds unless they think that the world will sink into a deflationary spiral.
1. Can you explain how a deflationary spiral could occur?
2. How long could it last?
3. What would the impact be on the economy?
4. How would stocks likely be affected?
5. What would be the best investments in such a scenario?
5. What equities, if any, should be held?

Thanks, and congratulations on a great service.

Q: On Feb 26 Tamara submitted a concern about the doom and gloomers and her positive approach to investing in spite of their opinions. We too remain invested: 50% in farm land and 50% in stocks (of this 75% is in blue chip dividend stocks and 25% in higher risk stocks that we are transitioning out of and adding to the blue chip category as we near retirement age). Your guidance on sector allocation has been invaluable.
Of concern to me is this:
1. on a scale of 1-10 where do you rate the potential for a world wide currency collapse. I have read it is not if but when.
2. I cannot get my head around what this would look like. For the average person what would be the impact to daily living. It seems in Canada we remain fairly "sheltered " from physical harm.
3. I have read it is advisable to hold gold for safety in economic uncertainty. So gold stocks or the commodity - actual physical gold? How would one use it to buy what we need daily? That is another thing I can't get my head around. It just seems impractical. How does one buy gold?
4. Which is the better option in this uncertain economic climate: to be fully invested, to hold cash, to hold gold, to hold a combination of these and in what ratio.

We remain positive in the future and fully invested but are we on the right track? Is there something we and other readers should be doing to weather what the world economic factors may send our way. Your comments would be appreciated.
Lou

Q: Hi team,
I think I kind of understand but just for sake of certainty:
1- What does it mean when the status on a given stock is HOLD? Does it mean: don't sell if you have it or don't buy if you don't have it?

2- What is the difference between Indicated Annual Dividend and Dividend Yield? For example, BDI right now has each of these at $0.60 and 13.57%, respectively. Let's say I buy 100$ worth of stock at $4.00 today, how much would I earn in dividend in one year if the dividend does not change in one year? With a big thank you! :)

Q: I have noticed different terminology used by diff firms when reporting performance. BMO (personal acct) uses 'avg ann compound rate of rtn'; RBC provides 'annualized' 'calendar' or 'cumulative'; Mawer uses annual or annualized (one can select); Invesco just reports 'performance'; Templeton reports 'annual or calendar perf'; G&M provides 1 and 5 yr total returns (compound % rtn) and a 3 yr compound % rtn. I tried using the internet/Investopedia with limited success. My question is: is "CAGR" (cmpd ann growth rate) the same as "annualized return" which is same as "compound % return"? Is there a resource that you know of that makes some sense of the different terminologies?
PS: I like to use the G&M as they provide perf numbers (as well as Div Gwth RAte, PEG ratios, etc) for stocks, ETFs, MFs on the same site, there should be some measure of consistency, thus facilitating an apple to apple comparison.

Q: I have recently joined my local share club and am learning how to feel more comfortable acting as my own financial advisor.
I have transferred my existing mutual funds over to a TD Waterhouse Account and would like your advise on what to do next with these funds. I am 56 and would like this to grow over the next 10 years and then produce income for me as I have no pension. Thank You.
These are approximate
TDB889C - 29%
AIM1595C - 19%
AIM1571C - 13%
AIM1561 - 9%
AIM1581C - 7%
AIM1559C - 5%
Cash - 17.5%

Thank you

Q: Hi 5i
Could you please tell me what would be the best 2-3 metrics to use in security analysis for each sector. I would like to focus in on the most important metrics for stocks within each sector. Thank you for all your advice.

Q: Hello 5i team,
It's in times like these that I should have listened to you when you suggested to maintain an exposure to energy, gold and minerals (even though you exited FM); but to what do you attribute the recent (sudden) rally? I understand gold = uncertainty but lack of global growth (demand) would not suggest a surge in metals; as for oil, it seems we will always have an oversupply thanks to shale production.
I would appreciate your take on these issues,
Antoine

Q: Peter,it is worthwhile getting these 2 books by Robin Speziale.Market Masters(You were one of many interviewed by him) & Lessons for the successful investors. Thanks a lot

Q: I know this is outside your area of concentration, but I'd like an opinion on the Canadian dollar vs. the U.S. I put about 25%of my net worth in U.S. dollars in the high 90s. Recently I see an uptrend against the U.S. dollar and am considering repatriating that money. Do you agree with my reading of the situation and that it could be sustained for six months or more. Do you have a guess at where the Can. dollar would have to get to be "over-priced".

Q: It has mentioned several times that deposits at many Canadian financial institutions are insured through CIDC up to $100,000. I don't remember any mention that all deposits in any Manitoba credit union or caisse populaire are guaranteed, without limit by the Deposit Guarantee Corporation of Manitoba.There are several credit unions in Manitoba that offer online banking across provincial boundaries and higher interest rate than the banks. Implicity financial is one example that offers 1.75% interest on deposits and the unlimited guarantee.

Q: Hi Peter, I noticed some companies have high debt/equity ratios (above 50%) both in their most recently reported year and over the 3 previous years: RSI: 77%, PKI: 85%, BCE: 134%, CJT: 289%, ATD.B: 83%, CNR: 70%, LAS.A: 100%, AGT: 106%, BIP.UN: 193%, REF.UN: 58% (70% in the past), BYD.UN: 139%, BIN: 137%. How and where do I know that a particular industry's standard is acceptable? For example, maybe all of the telecommunications industry is operating at unsustainable levels (although doubtful). I do realize that some of these industries or comparing A to B will be necessary for years to come (hence why a good investment), but I just don't understand how maintaining high debt can be okay or they can get away with it - i.e. banks and utilities seems to have high debt to equity ratios. Why invest in them then ... thankx.

Q: As a follow-up to Tim, I understand the CDIC issue, but what about funds in a self-directed brokerage account held at a bank that has to be bailed-in? How would a bail-in affect stock and preferred share holdings in the bank affected, and, in the same account, non-bank stocks and ETF holdings that hold some of the bank stock? Does it make any difference if the individual actually holds the stock certificate (I suspect most of us don't)?
Thank-you