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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 currently do not have any exposure to the energy sector. I am starting to get attracted to the high dividends of some of the higher quality companies such as WCP. I am thinking of a pairs trade; shorting XEG and buying WCP long. This would allow me to collect the dividend but protect me on any further down side. Once the energy sector calms down and starts to behave rationally I could slowly take off the short position leaving me with a long position in WCP. What do you think of a strategy like this?

Thanks, Darcy
Read Answer Asked by Darcy on December 12, 2014
Q: 1. If Oil prices do not recover in the next couple of years, is HNL at risk?
2. Does it have any significant debt maturing in the next 2 years that they might not be able to renew?
3. I know that you rated HNL as a C+ in October. Has your view changed in the last couple of months?
4. Would you recommend selling? It is a very small portion of my portfolio.

Thanks,
Hans
Read Answer Asked by Hans on December 12, 2014
Q: Hi folks,
I'm asking you to think about a bottom in oil and how this will all play out. If you put aside the gripping fear for a moment around the oil "crash", calmer heads suggest these sort of events have happened before in history many times and we have a good idea how it plays out. Peter called it by saying dividend cuts and reigning in cap ex would occur. Where do we go from here? Insolvencies? Do you think when Buffet throws one of these oil majors a hefty lifeline that were close to a bottom? Remember when he bailed out GE at $3/sh or did the same to GS at $75 share. Thanks for your thoughts.
Read Answer Asked by mark on December 12, 2014
Q: Hi Peter
I suspect I have been overweight in oil/gas and have lost more "paper equity" as it has been dropping though I prefer to think I have still spent it on "good companies".
When you say 10-15% energy weighting and that TSX is 21% or 25% do you include
a)PIPELINES like ALA,ENB,IPL,KEY,PPL,TRP
b)SERVICES COMPANIES LIKE BDI,CFW,FRC,HWO,PHX,PD,SVY
c)OIL BASED OTHERS LIKE BAD,MTL,PRW,QST
Thanks for all you do
Dennis
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on December 11, 2014
Q: Kevin O'Leary was on BNN and said he hopes oil goes to $35 a barrel. He mentioned that we should instead be investing in the S&P 500 like he has. Now he says a lot of junior oil and gas companies are going to go bankrupt. Why would a Canadian, and a owner of a fund company add fuel to the fire of panic. Do they have alterior motives to help drive the price of oil and gas stocks down?. Are they shorting? CNQ chairman Murray Edwards said that he predicts oil will drop to $30.00 a barrel before it rises again. Why don't they just keep quiet rather than add to the panic selling? What is in it for them to say these things which are only their opinions.
Read Answer Asked by James on December 11, 2014
Q: Thanks for a great service...I hold both wcp and bdi and a little sgy...my energy holdings are 3.5% of my portfolio ...my question is with wcp and bdi down approx. the same would a sell of bdi and a buy in wcp make any sense as the producers will probably go up quicker than the service related stocks.
Read Answer Asked by gene on December 11, 2014
Q: When an oil company announced a reduction in capital expenditures for the coming year, how quickly does that reduction get put into effect? Do they actually start reducing spending immediately or is just an indication of where they think they will be going? I am wondering if the announcements coming out of the oil patch are as much for PR purposes to calm investors or if they are real. I ask from the point of view as to how these announcements should be viewed as they affect oil service companies like BDI, BAD etc

Thanks.

Paul F
Read Answer Asked by Paul on December 11, 2014
Q: This is just an information post relating to the concerns about the oil glut. I found the attached post useful and informative. Like 5i I find Jeff Miller to be a voice of reason in times of tumult. As he notes, when consumption is 92.5 million barrels a day how significant is a "glut" of a few billion barrels. Next year consumption is projected to grow by almost 700k bbls/day and that's based on $100 a barrel. At todays prices will consumption increase. Will production drop.Are all geo-political risks off the table.
5i has has identified some excellent companies in the energy sector, some might appeal to a contrarian investor.
Just some thoughts as Christmas music plays on the radio and snow blankets the trees in the back yard.
Happy investing
Mike

http://dashofinsight.com/crucial-facts-energy/
Read Answer Asked by michael on December 11, 2014
Q: PLZ RECOMMEND A CANADIAN DIVIDEND ETF OTHER THAN ZDV WITH LIMITED OR NO EXPOSURE TO THE OIL PATCH.
MANY THANKS

ROGER
Read Answer Asked by roger on December 11, 2014
Q: Energy and related stocks.
Like me many subscribers are seniors. I have a large holding in the above ( oil, NG, pipe line, services ect.) and am worried.

How do you see 3 TO 5 YEAR OUTLOOK for the above and what factors might play in to a reasonable assumption. How long might it take to balance supply and demand, as many say that $60ish oil will weed out some producers and reduce capex spending on new drilling . I understand that it is impossible to time the market but can you assume a reasonable oil price at sustainable levels of $70 to $80 oil and $4 for NG. any comments would be very helpful.
thanks
Yossi
Read Answer Asked by JOSEPH on December 11, 2014
Q: (sorry, i was unable to enter thus question without entering a symbol)
Would you please comment on 3 things... 1 What industries in Canada other than airlines will most benefit over the next while by the drop in oil..2 same question for US market and 3 what foreign country etf ( eg,EWG? ) would most benefit by the drop in oil?
Read Answer Asked by lyle on December 11, 2014
Q: At what price do you see a barrel of oil bottom out at??? and when
Read Answer Asked by Eddie on December 11, 2014
Q: I have 4.2% in SU, 3.43% in HSE and 2.6% in CVE, about $67,000 total. Right now they are underwater, SU 12.3% and HSE and VCE about 19.8%. Hold for the dividend? Or sell and invest in ? We do need dividend income as we have no private pension s.
Read Answer Asked by Edward on December 11, 2014
Q: Hi Guys:
the only "energy" related stock I have is Gibson(GIB) and I'm down 5% 5%. I would like to jump in on one of these since they have had a big downturn, Would Suncor or Halliburton be the best to buy at these discounted prices. I noticed that the Royal Back\MorningStar rated it a very strong buy.

What's you opinion SU with a 3.45% dividend or Halliburton with a 1.98% dividend
Read Answer Asked by JOHN on December 11, 2014
Q: HiTeam
At what point (oil price) is COS not profitable? I have bought in around $12 thinking it was fair value. Was I right about that?
Would any oil sands companies be seriously threatened by low oil prices?
Is COS debt manageable?

Thanks in adavance..
Read Answer Asked by John on December 11, 2014
Q: I'd like your opinion about acquiring 1/2 position in HNL for a shorter term hold (and longer if necessary). Is the high dividend sustainable with the way things are looking now? Do you think the stock price will get hit hard in the next week given tax loss selling?
Grateful, as always, for your comments.
Read Answer Asked by Brenda on December 11, 2014