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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: I've never seen this kind of question asked: If I want to earn 7% on my money by investing in about 15 great, solid companies and selling shares in order to achieve the 7% return, what might such a portfolio look like? Would the 5i Model Portfolio, as it is, fit the bill? How might it be tweaked? I know there are a lot of questions and considerations around the question, but just looking for a general reply and any thoughts on this approach. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on February 20, 2015
Q: I am interested in some exposure to the Canadian Pharma sector but in view of it's volatility and the fact many stocks have already had large moves, could you recommend a basket of say 5 stocks for purchase for the next 3-5 years
Read Answer Asked by Bruce on February 20, 2015
Q: Hi 5i Team, Thanks for your expertise. In our TFSA's (we are retired in our 70's & deriving income from portfolios) we hold 10 securities ABT 6.7%, AYA 12.48%, BAD 4.79%, DHX.B 10.5%, ERF 5.1%, XTC 8.37%, IT 8.53%, LNR 14.23%, TOG 0.7%, WCP 10.57%. We have $10M cash available. Only names duplicated in other accounts are AYA and WCP. We are overweight Consumer Cyclical (18%) and Financials (incl REITS) 21% Underweight Materials 5.1% and Telecom 3.0% and Healthcare 3.9 %. We have 54 securities total and 85% equity. We have $10M available to invest in TFSA's. Sorry for the long question, But would like to invest TFSA money as we wait for portfolio review. Thanks in advance.

Ted

Read Answer Asked by Ted on February 20, 2015
Q: What...many thanks are your views on these 2 companies ....would you choose one over the other
Read Answer Asked by Michael on February 20, 2015
Q: Due to seasonality should I sell this (wft) or hold longer. I am currently up 10%
Read Answer Asked by don on February 19, 2015
Q: Presently, I own CRH Medical (CRH), Patient Home Monitoring (PHM) and Prometic Life (PLI). CRH is going up nicely every day - is the valuation stretching?
Please suggest a fourth name to add to this list. I don't mind some risk for the rewards the three mentioned have given.
Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Steven on February 19, 2015
Q: Hello, I am coming into a significant one time lump sum amount of money. I currently have 44 stocks, all purchased after reading your web site. I have about 80% of the model portfolio. The others are stocks that seemed like good buys and so far I'm very happy with my overall performance. These good buys came from suggestions and comments I've read in your "questions" section (which I love by the way)

I'm considering taking 25% of the portfolio as cash - and waiting for downturns in sectors as we've seen in the last year. 25% in safer vehicles - any suggestions would be welcome.

50% in equity stocks. Am I too late or is the current market too saturated to split this 50% into your model portfolio? In your opinion, is the model portfolio - at this time a reasonably safe investment with potential for good returns from both capital gains and dividends?

For perspective, I'm hoping to earn $130k pretax per year, I'm just retired at 56 and will have slightly over $2 mil invested.
Read Answer Asked by David on February 19, 2015
Q: Do you see any potential upside to Uranium in the near future? I have held Cameco for a few years now and it hasnt done much. I am thinking of selling it in order to reaise cash. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Pat on February 19, 2015
Q: 5i
I have a half position in GC but just cannot decide on whether to ad to this one or start buying into aya . Aya has been doing much better while GC has lost some ground .
Also I'm thinking of getting back into acq since it has had much better momentum of late and forward earnings look quite solid plus it's well down still from its high .
I would greatly appreciate your advice on these stocks .
Thanks
Bill C.
Read Answer Asked by Bill on February 19, 2015
Q: It has been on my watch list a long time. I was reluctance because of the one man issue. ( health and other associated possible issues )
Did it and does now make sense to stay away ?
This thing goes up like a balloon. Is it to late and would you recommend it now ?
thanks
Yossi
Read Answer Asked by JOSEPH on February 18, 2015
Q: Which dividend would you consider safer- bdi or frc?
Read Answer Asked by rand on February 18, 2015
Q: Like RME and MR.un but afraid the Oil situation will hurt them, am I late to but Teck. Many thanks Joe P
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on February 18, 2015
Q: New member, first question :
What would be a sensible approach for a portfolio in the red for a number of years basically due to investments in shares of gold and silver companies, and to a lesser extent in uranium and iron ore ?
I am 74 old,and, as such, not looking for long term, but my investment portfolio is needed to supplement a modest pension. I have been hoping for a resurgence of gold and uranium prices, but I am beginning to despair on that account. Here are the shares I hold and, in parenthesis, my losses on paper against the price paid: in my regular account: anv-t (94% ) auq-t(45%) edv-t(89%) mag-t(17%) mdn-t(15%) sso-t(72%) slw-t(2%) yri-t(67%) nugt-n(62%), cev-t(99%) wai-t(99%), yel-t(90%), mat-t(92%), mga-t(58%). In my RRIF: ar-t(79%) abx-t(49%) bto-t(19%) img-t(60%) vgz-t(88%) . I also hold in my RRIF McKenzie Precious Metals (57%) and Sprott Gold (12%). In total, my losses on paper in my regular portfolio is 26 % and in my FERR, 52. %. The question is what is worth selling and keeping ? I would like to raise capital to invest along 5iResearch lines, but I see no point in selling shares who have lost more than 60% of their value as I will never recover from such a loss, even with the guidance of 5i research to buy promising companies. I already use a maximum of margin credit in my portfolio. Your views, Dr. Hodson ?
Read Answer Asked by Jacques on February 18, 2015
Q: I am very surprised at the relatively poor performance of HRX over the past year, particularly given the very large backlog of orders it is supplying to Boeing (and others). (Both National Bank and Scotia analysts have given it a 1-yr target of >$14 for some time now.) I would appreciate your opinion as to whether I should buy (more), sell, or hold. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Gregory on February 17, 2015
Q: I have a few different portfolios like many people. My RSP, my wifes RSP, her spousal RSP, Mine and her investment account, TFSA's and my kids RESP's. How does one do sector weightings for each of these? Should they be bunched togeather and considered as one or each of them should be viewed as a seperate entity.
Like your article pointed out in general some of these are weighted more towards finanlcials (SLF, BNS and HCG) and Oil (SGY and WCP) I am am trying to balance to consumer staples, health care and consumer descretionary. I am inclined to wait a little bit for the oil sector to improve prior to balancing. Some guidelines and suggestions are welcome. Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on February 17, 2015
Q: Hi - we have bce, otc and cm invested in a rdsp.
could you please provide suggestions for 5k to be invested?
thanks for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Lois on February 17, 2015
Q: Hi 5i,
I am in the process of completing our portfolio re-balancing after our 5i review. By the end of the process, I will have about 2.5 % cash left to deploy in our Non-registered investment account (i.e.: fully taxable). I was thinking of putting 1.25 % in each of any 2 of the following - in order of (my) preference:
1. DHX.B
2. HCG
3. CSH.UN
4. XTC
5. SJ
6. CXI

I believe we will be well diversified and well balanced for the most part and so this money will only have the constraints around taxation as an issue. So, given the foregoing, how would you rank these and are there any other suggestions you might make??

Thanks for everything - you folks are awesome!!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on February 17, 2015