Investment Q&A

Q: I have rate reset preferred shares (bought at $25 / share) which are presently 25% in value underwater because of the Banks of Canada’s unexpected prime interest rate decrease. At the time of purchase their interest rate was 4 to 4.5% & they will be subject to a rate increase in 2019 & 2020. I your opinion what is the chance of their value returning to near $25 in the next 3 years? I am wondering if I should sell the preferred now or hope that their value will appreciate sometime before their rate reset date . Thanks … Cal

Q: I submitted this question last Thursday. But I think there maybe system glitches that some questions get lost. This is a resubmitt:

Your balance portfolio has an impressive returns. Mine is way behind. So I searched your QA database, without success, to see if previous questions were submitted regarding a general strategy on how to migrate my stock/mutual funds/etfs holdings to duplicate your balanced portfolio for getting less hands on investing. I hold perhaps 80 stocks and I share perhaps 15 securities with your balanced portfolio and these are obviously to keep within the constraints of asset allocation. I have about 25% holdings in US companies. Your answer, I am sure, would be of great benefit to those members who are like me, are tired of chasing ellusive returns and wish a steady hands-off approach to investing.

So my questions are:

- Is it possible to give a guide line on how to migrate a portfolio to duplicate one of your portfolios? Do you think by adding few of your covered stocks with A/B ratings be a positive or a drage on performance?

-In searching your data base for questions like this one, using a key word like strategy, would I be able to find answer to such a question?
- Allocating assets between Canada and US in general terms, to enhance returns, without consideration to personal circumstances, what percentage allocation should one invest outside Canada?

Your program has helped me tremendously in focusing my portfolio after many years of haphazard approach to investing. So your help is much appreciated by the many members of this community,

Thanks a lot.

Q: In my RRSP, 28% of my portfolio is in U.S. stocks. I am getting concerned about the US election, and what it might do to the markets, in the short term, as well as the overall U.S. economy in 2017/18. With the Cdn dollar being down around $.76, would it be advisable to take that down closer to 15%, instead of the 28%, for a while?
Also, I presently have 25% in cash, and want to put half of that into something low risk,but better return than cash, for up to 2 years. Would ETFs with a stable history, be a good place to put the cash,and if so, can you recommend a couple? Or another idea, instead of ETFs...
The remaining 47% of the portfolio is in the Cdn market, and some Emerging Market ETFs.
Thank you
Grant

Q: I am holding TIP in the US as inflation protection, however I am having doubts regarding this strategy. For real return type bond ETFs, an increase in the relevant CPI increases income, yet rising inflation will be met with rising interest rates on nominal bonds that will drive the price of inflation-protected bonds down as well, negating the benefit of the increased income on a total return basis. It would seem to me that real return bonds are only protection from a central bank that has lost control over inflation; orderly inflation not so much. Is this an accurate assessment?

Q: Good Morning: A two part question about CBO. First, what is the difference between CBO and CBO.A, and is one preferable to the other for retail investors? Second, and more importantly, I notice that the stated yield (on my BMO Investorline fact sheet) for CBO is currently 3.3%. In your opinion, would an increase in interest rates in the US be likely to affect this rate in a significantly negative fashion?

Q: given the present state of the markets, on a percentage basis how would you invest by sectors 1M including a % in cash . thanks in advance

Q: I am putting together a portfolio called "Big Dogs"
I broke out the 10 largest stocks by market cap in each of the 10 sectors
I will invest in 3 of those stocks in each sector for a total of 30 stocks.Determining which 3 has been a challenge,looking at the usual--
dividends--eps--p/e-- market cap etc.Also have a bias toward your favourites.
Since I am only looking at the top 10 do you think I will be overlooking some better opportunities?I think perhaps, but I would go
crazy trying to look at the whole sector or even the top 20.I feel my odds of success are better sticking with the "Big Dogs"
Over all I will put 10k in each stock but not until I see a market
pull back which I feel is imminent.Perhaps I could have your thoughts on that as well.
This is not something new---What do you think of my idea and approach?

Q: Hi,

I know you like the following: PPL.PR.M and ALA.PR., TransCanada (series 13), Canadian Utilities (series FF) and Brookfield Asset (series 5). With these type of minimum reset preferreds, where would you expect the prices to be in 3 or 4 years under the following scenarios:
1. Current govt of Canada rates 0.5 point lower than today
2. Current govt of Canada rate same as today
3. Current govt of Canda rate 3 or 4 points higher than today

Regards,

Robert

Q: I have a $300,000 lump sum to invest for a little more than 10 years before there will be a need to start to taking income. What would you suggest is a reasonable time frame over which to make the purchases? I was considering equal purchases over a 3 month time frame (as opposed to a doing it all right away) but with the US presidential elections, all the talk of interest rate increases and tax loss selling I am wondering if three months is too quick.

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.

Q: Hi 5i
If the US moves interest rates higher. Will that have any immediate influence on Canadian GIC rates. If not what will make them move higher?
Thank You Dave

Q: HIU-T This was recommended on BNN as a way to off-set downside. Could you please explain in detail how this would work and would you recommend this method rather than holding cash in todays market with a bearish outlook? If you had $100,000 cash would you put it all into the HIU? What would be the down side?

Q: volatility is low right now,but I am expecting this to increase.
Is there a way to play this in the market with some kind of etf?
and what is your opinion of this

Q: Good Afternoon,
I am adding several positions to my portfolio. I have narrowed it down by using your reports/comments etc. . Some of the reports are dated, would like to know if you still consider these names a buy at today's level, or any other more favoured names in these sectors. Also wondering if you would recommend staggering purchases or waiting for a market pullback, realizing that some of these names are high.
All would be additions to a diversified portfolio and considered to be long term holds. Thanks for the assistance. Lavern

Q: I am currently watching XEG for an entry on a long term hold. I'm also looking for a Canadian ETF that is similar to OIH that trades in the US. Is there anything available on Canadian exchanges?

Q: Would you mind explaining how the one year share price of XHY has gone from: Aug 19/15 at $19.81 to Feb 2/16 at $17.31 and then back up Aug18/16 to $20.01. Is share price only affected by interest rate changes or other things in the ETF that I'm missing? And is there a best time to buy the ETF.
Thank you.
G

Q: Could you share what you feel would be the best tool to invest for an increase in Volatility?

Thanks

Q: Hello 5i team,

Not sure why my question does not reach you as I've tried twice in the past 2 weeks.......hope it gets through to you in this 3rd attempt.

I am 61 years old and about 16% of my overall portfolio is in bonds. The rest is in income stocks and growth stocks similar to 5i portfolio. The yield return of fixed income instruments is so low currently and I am rather comfortable owning income stocks. Now, I have $60,000 in cash in RRSP and I have the following options. Please comment on each option and your preference and recommendations.
1. To buy several corporate bonds with maturity of 3 to 5 years and to hold till maturity.
2. To buy more income stocks like AW.UN or EIF.un
3. To buy ETF of inflation bonds
4. To buy ETF of high yield bonds
5. To buy ETF of US corporate bonds

Please advise preferred ETF for option 3, 4 and 5.
Many thanks.

Q: Just wondering what your thoughts were on what sectors look beaten up and/or unloved and provide a decent entry point for a longer term hold? Materials, healthcare, US Banks come to mind. Any others?

Q: I stumbled across this ETF (PYF) by accident. What are the drawbacks with this one. It has a 52 week low/hi of 19.42/20.52 with a yield of 7.1%. It looks like a nice place to park some cash for a season but what is the downside (there is always a downside and usually a big one)? Thanks for doing a great job.

Q: Hi Peter and team,
If US and Canadian stock market goes down say ~10%, how it may impact preferred etf such as ZPR, CPD, PGX (US) or split preferred (e.g. FFN.PR.A)?
Thanks