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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: My question regarding BCE.PR.S. After a number of years of owing this preferred, is it worth holding any longer. It has lost a lot of value since my purchase, I believe it has a floating rate dividend.
Thanks for your opinion. I was thinking of switching to BCE common share.

Shirley
Read Answer Asked by Shirley on July 11, 2016
Q: I have owned this preferred for 3+ years and am getting impatient with it. I purchased it for income, but have lost more in value. I am thinking about selling it and taking my loss and just buy BCE and collect their dividend, and hope for a little growth.
Is this a good idea, what are your thoughts. Any other suggestion would be appreciated.
5i has been very informative, I really enjoy it.
Shirley













Read Answer Asked by Shirley on July 11, 2016
Q: Hi,

I have a small (100% in oil and gas) portfolio and am 34 years of age. My investment strategy involves riding the oil and gas recovery in the short term (until early 2017). From this point I would like to reconfigure into a diversified portfolio. My question is, when does a middle/not aggressive/not cautious/average person implement your different types of portfolios? I gather that duration until you require the investment is of most importance with risk tolerance playing an equal part of the equation. But what if neither risk adversity or time are an issue? Should I be 100% positioned towards the growth portfolio?

What are some general rules of thumbs and what are some 'ballpark' milestones for someone who is investing for retirement? I'm after a generic answer that looks something like until:
age 40 100% growth,
until age 50 100% balanced,
then by age 60 100% income.
Read Answer Asked by Marc on July 11, 2016
Q: Apologies in advance for a long-ish question. A good friend's $800K portfolio is wildly out of whack diversity-wise courtesy of a recently deposed financial advisor who had him 60% in banks. The friend has entrusted me to right the ship. My philosophy, very successful for me, is to be fully invested and widely diversified, almost 100% in Canada (not impossible to do contrary to prevailing wisdom), with an emphasis on dividends and growth at a reasonable price.

I have set the following personalized sector percentages:

Banks - 20%
Other financial - 5%
Telcos - 8%
Utilities/Pipes - 15%
Energy - 14%
REITs - 12%
Healthcare - 6%
Tech - 6%
Consumer Discretionary - 10%
Industrials - 4%

I am trimming his banks from 60% to 20% which frees up funds to purchase. About 1/3 of what he has is worth keeping. For the other 2/3 would love your input on the overall approach, the following choices and the weights:

Telcos: BCE and T, 4% each
Utilities/Pipes: IPL, PPL, BEP, FTS,NPI, 3% each
Financial: FC and MSI, 2.5% each
Healthcare: DR and CRH 2% each
Tech: KXS, NVDA and SYZ 2% each
Consumer (my definition): PBH, RPI.UN, BYD.UN,CGX, ADW.A, 2% each
Industrials: EIF, CHR, NFI, 1.3% each

REITS still need to be worked on and I'm keeping his current energy holdings which are well down, hoping/waiting for a continued bounceback.

Thank you very much
Read Answer Asked by Kim on July 11, 2016
Q: I have a small position in Mitel and I am looking to hold for 1 to 2 years. They recently backed out of their purchase/merger with Polycom and the market spoke with a significant increase in share price.What are your thoughts and analysis of this company? Could you provide financial metrics,inside ownership, and forward guidance. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Steve on July 11, 2016
Q: Really confused.$4.51 on Jun 27 & closed on July 8 @ $4.71($4.77 h).Reports on July 12 with meeting on Aug 30 to vote on parent's( has the upper hand)take out offer of $4.50.Please shed some light.If the price is above $4.50 prior to Aug 30,I am thinking of voting to reject offer.What do you think?Appreciate your usual great views & services.Though I hve not sold XSR yet I did buy 3 of 4 of your suggested replacments-SIS,BOS & SyZ.Syz hit the $11 resistance & hopefully breaks out soon
Read Answer Asked by Peter on July 11, 2016
Q: Can you give me your thoughts on Jerome Hass, and the Lightwater Funds, both the Nimble Fund, and the Long/Short Fund? Do you know him? Have you heard of any problems or issues with the company, and can you comment on the pair trade approach? To me, it seems like a logical way to mitigate market and sector risk. Thanks for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on July 08, 2016
Q: Peter and team:

I am currently down about 20% on TFI in a well balanced long term hold portfolio.
I am considering cutting my losses and buying NFI. Would you consider these in the same "sector", and what is you opinion of this switch.
My concern is how much upside is left in NFI. I have owned it in my kids RESP and done well (2.5x), but am wondering how much "growth" is left.

Than you as always for a great service!

Phil
Read Answer Asked by Phil on July 08, 2016