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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: Greetings
Have you ever considered a list of stocks to own, dare I say it, forever? Something so enduring that you can almost set it and forget it. My list would include Berkshire Hathaway, Phillip Morris, Coca Cola. It would discourage frequent trading, focusing on price targets, hand wringing over every quarterly, etc.
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Tim
Read Answer Asked by Tim on November 18, 2016
Q: Hello,
In your response to a question about tax loss selling you mentioned that you've noticed some strange trading in some stocks this week. Just wondering if you see any good long-term companies that have been "kicked to the curb" recently due to tax loss selling. Air Boss seems to be one that is consistently making new lows in what seems like a daily basis and Black Diamond Group has plummeted since reporting disappointing results a few weeks ago (you have a B- rating on BDI as of Jan 2015). Any names fit the bill as tax loss victims?
Many thanks,
Kent
Read Answer Asked by KENT on November 18, 2016
Q: Peter and His Wonder Team
You and your Team are good at answering impossible questions so I have another one for you. Firstly, you have a well diversified portfolio consisting of 23 stocks which is performing very well. All factors considered ...if you had to pick one of these for best value for either a short term trade or a 3-5 year period which would it be?
Thanks for your opinion which always provides another valuable dimension in dealing with Mr.Market!
Respectfully...
Dr.Ernest Rivait
Read Answer Asked by Ernest on November 18, 2016
Q: Good Morning,

Several of the Marijuana growing IPOS are showing tremendous gains recently with the legalization across CA, and prospectively within Canada. I wanted your take on the future of that industry. Are we looking at a dot com type buy out situation as the BW or PM get into the game with existing infrastructure or so you foresee a fizzles end to hype. Would you join the party, if so where?

Thanks,

Eric
Read Answer Asked by Erichsen on November 17, 2016
Q: Plse deduct the number of questions that you feel is fair. We have been long suffering shareholders of the listed companys in our RRSPs which would you suggest to continue to hold and which ones would you suggest selling? Thks
Read Answer Asked by Marcel on November 17, 2016
Q: I took a flyer on both CGC & APH yesterday & immediately covered with stops on both to protect any downside. Today I was (on paper) up significantly on both, however the automatic market control system placed 3 separate Stop Trade Orders on CGC throughout the day & 2 separate stops on APH. Unfortunately, I lost on both. Perhaps it might be beneficial to advise members of the Catch 22 that can result.
Read Answer Asked by Robert on November 17, 2016
Q: Being a retired accountant I can't help but feeling compelled to add my two cents on the question raised on goodwill.

Goodwill is simply the difference between the purchase price and the net book value of a company acquired. Say, if Co. A buys Co. B for $12 million and Co. B has a net book value ("NBV") of $10 million, then Co. A will report a goodwill of $2 million in its books. It's that simple.

You can call it an accounting plug if you like and that's not far from what it actually is. As to whether goodwill is good or bad, that really depends on each acquisition.

Using the same example, the $2 million goodwill is considered "good" if Co. B's actual assets are worth more than the $12 million paid for by Co. A. However, if the same assets of Co. B are actually worth less than the $10 million NBV, then that $2 million goodwill is really not an asset. That is the reason why so many acquirer companies have goodwill write-offs a few year after initial acquisition - when the true value of the company they acquired becomes crystalized. Hope that helps.
Read Answer Asked by Victor on November 16, 2016