Investment Q&A

Q: Hi Peter, Ryan and Team;
Would you please render an opinion ob Empire Industries Ltd. What do you think about the current debt levels? Have the debt levels improved? The shares seem cheap, but there is a truckload of them on the market. Do you have an impression of the management?

Q: Would CBX be a good candidate for tax loss selling? Down70%.

Q: Comment on recent issue and its earnings' quality.

Q: The trends at company and in apparel generally are distressing. Mall traffic over Thanksgiving in US, corroborated by a drop in gas consumption, was down. I've noticed that a number of malls' vacancy both sequentially and yoy is up. Reitmans e-commerce is great (or getting better) but its stores are seemingly always empty even if its recent marketing campaign was very fresh even exciting. I think its game over here.

Q: What is difference between real growth and organic growth? In a Nestle context (global company)

Q: Its last quarter was a disaster. What is your outlook for this company?

Q: I should increase our health,materials,and energy sectors.Could you give me a few suggestions.I plan to sell Spectra Energy (SE-N) and Power Financial (PWF-T) in the new year to make the purchases.
Thanks.

Q: I have noticed that in some stocks there is significant exercise by insiders of options. I am wondering if this is because of statements made by the Liberals in the election about taxing options of high income earners. I would appreciate you thoughts.

Q: I am down 16% on DH and down 20% on TFI. What are your thoughts on averaging down on these stocks? I am thinking stock-loss selling may represent an opportunity. Thank you.

Q: I purchased some names to start building the growth portfolio about a year ago.
I started with CXI, DHX, PHM, PUR all are in a position of retreat, I now plan to add another name, is there a particular name you would suggest adding at this time.

Q: Earlier this week, Frances Horodelski mentioned the large number of short positions which exist on the CAD and few other currencies. Almost unprecedented levels. The suggestion from one of her guests is that, under these conditions, a significant and sudden reversal of the CAD against the USD could happen.

Would you agree with that? i.e. on both the reversal and the magnitude?

If this happened would it likely last for a while or more likely be a pop and drop scenario?

Thanks for your opinion on this.

Q: <I>December 03, 2015 (asked by Desmond)

Question: I would like your opinion on Saputo, would it be a buy at this time. Thanks for all the great information this year.

5i Research Answer:
Saputo is not overly exciting, but in this market that is not a bad thing. Good earnings growth is expected over the next two years, but it does have a fairly weak record of meeting estimates. Its business is fairly secure and its balance sheet is 'OK'. It is buying back stock, and at 21X earnings is a bit expensive. Over the past 15 years the stock is up nearly 10-fold, and we would be comfortable with a long term position.</I>



I have to mostly disagree with your response to Desmond regarding SAP. Or at least the tone I extracted from your response.

How could SAP not be anything but exciting if a person is looking to make money? Unless they "play" stocks for excitement as in gambling and look only at short term fun.

If SAP has been almost a 10 bagger in 15 years that is a 16.5%/annum return plus a constant growing dividend. An original investment of say, $100,000 would now be approx. $1,000,000. A profit of $900,000! Most people and retail investors would love to have that big a profit both $ wise and % wise as most never produce that in a life time.

I am an investor who does not care if a company meets estimates! So what? Who cares other than the media? Without insider information is not an estimate just that? An estimate, a guess?What matters is the question, "Is the company growing itself, revenue and free cashflow...properly and in a sustainable way?"

I find SAP to be exciting in the short term because I can sleep at night knowing I do not have to monitor it daily/weekly and it should continue to make me money as I sleep with a growing dividend income stream for my future retirement days. Just like CNR, ENB, BNS....

Have a great day.

Stan

Q: Last week I added to the following positions in my non-registered:

DSG, AYA, ATD.B, CCL.B, WSP, TCN, BCE and FTS.

Because the market is so volatile I only bought half of what I want in each with plans to buy the other half by the end of December.

Should I take advantage of yesterday's drop and buy the rest now or wait until the day after the fed announces the rate increase? Do you think there will be a small drop after this increase?

My other option is to put lower bids in that are good for the next thirty days and see what I get.

Q: I would like your opinion on Saputo, would it be a buy at this time. Thanks for all the great information this year.

Q: Hi Peter
I am thinking of tax loss . I am down quite a bit on this company and trying to recoup with tax loss . High Artic energy ,Peyto and Shawcor are also candidates for a tax loss .which would you let go ? Or should I dump my preferred enbrige shares ? Do any of these have hope in the near future ?
Candi

Q: Hi team

Could have your take on ai

Thanks Mike B

Q: Hi guys,

Do you think the regulatory hit that PJC.A took, regarding generic prescription drugs, in Quebec, could be a danger to Loblaws in provinces outside of Quebec?

Do you think its still ok to use the consensus $4.04 earnings per share in 2016, in determining value for Loblaws?

Thanks.

Q: Based on companies in the Growth Portfolio alone, which is your strongest buy today? I just topped up my TFSA and was having some hesitation purchasing EFN, not quite understanding why it continues to slide. Thanks.

Q: Hi team:
this went up today past the $ 3 mark, is there any news accountable for it ? thanks

Q: The proof's in the pudding. Canadian Business magazine in the most recent issue named CEO Bruce Flatt #94 wealthiest Canadian and director Jack Cockwell #98. These guys are there because they have over 90% of their assets in BAM stock. Other directors and officers including Blidner and Lawson have lots of skin in the game too.
My hunch is Flatt (he's only 50 y.o.) and company will be moving up the ranks in years to come, and my money's with them. The Seeking Alpha article is fluff to put it politely.