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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: Hello Peter and team,

I am looking to get some exposure to the US market via an ETF in a non-registered account. My criteria is that the ETF must pay a dividend and have some growth potential; this is for a 3+ year hold, medium risk investor. Searching through the Q&As it looks like your favourite US ETFs would be SPY, IWO and VIG. Based on the current market environment which is your favourite ETF that will meet my criteria today?

Can you remind me about the withholding tax issue? Is it worth the hassle of the withholding tax, or is it better to get a Canadian $ hedged ETF instead (and which one)?

If I buy before the end of the year, will I get a large taxable distribution (e.g. IWO in Dec 2012)? Is it better to wait until January to buy? Many years ago I bought a mutual fund in a non-registered account in November, and got stung by a large tax bill when they paid out the distribution in December even though I was not in the mutual fund for most of the year. I don’t want to repeat that, and I am not sure if ETFs work that way as well.


Paul J.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 06, 2014
Q: Trinity has dropped from 52 week high of 50 to 41, i know you liked it in the past do you still recommend. Dave
Read Answer Asked by david on October 06, 2014
Q: Peter and team:
What do you think of xlk as a broad brush play on the technology sector? Is there a Canadian equivalent? (either Canadian companies or American companies in can. funds). Could you briefly touch on how etf's are handled vs. pure stocks @ tax time?

Thanks for such a great service!

Phil
Read Answer Asked by Phil on October 06, 2014
Q: I have been under water with this fund since 09, it pays a good dividend but will there be an improvement now that Bill Gross is gone? Thanks, Jack
Read Answer Asked by Jack on October 06, 2014
Q: I have some US cash to invest. VZ was a BNN top pick the other day. I am also interested in COST. I would appreciate your opinion.

Thank you as always
Craig
Read Answer Asked by Craig on October 06, 2014
Q: Good morning 5i, in April you liked the high yield sector; has your opinion changed or is this still a hold. Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Alayne on October 06, 2014
Q: Hello 5i,
Ensco PLC (ESV) is getting beaten down badly, will they be able to keep the dividend going. Will they bounce back with the price of oil?
Thanks,
Read Answer Asked by Mark on October 03, 2014
Q: Hi,
What do you think about those recent IPO on the us market :
FEYE, MKTO, FIVE, PBPB, NDLS,
Thank you
Francois
Read Answer Asked by Francois on October 03, 2014
Q: MFC Industrial (MIL in the US) : stock in free fall. Unfortunately I have it. Do you think best to cut loss and run?
Thank you for this incredibly good service!
Adam
Read Answer Asked by Adam on October 03, 2014
Q: Greetings,

i am looking for your views on unilever versus Bristol-meyers. both of these have corrected significantly and am looking to add to my US holdings. I need a steady stream of US income in the future so trying to build a nice, steady group of dividend payers that i can hold for a long period of time.

Cheers and thanks for all your great advice.
Read Answer Asked by kelly on October 02, 2014
Q: The U.S. gov't is being lobbied by the rail and oil companies to delay the railcar upgrade deadline and the TRN price has dived. TRN is said to have a huge order backlog. Do you think the co. is oversold here?
Read Answer Asked by Ken on October 02, 2014
Q: Hi Peter and team,

Any comments on the performance of NSTG (Nanostring). Smallish biotech company. Downturn in the sector has hurt the stock. I see you are recommending ISIS, is it reasonable to expect an increase in NSTG's stock price this year or would you expect the biotech sector (and NSTG) to see a recovery in early 2015?
Read Answer Asked by Peter on October 02, 2014
Q: Hi - what is your view of Seadrill and it's dividend?
Read Answer Asked by Kirk on October 01, 2014
Q: I've held for a few yrs now: been going up like crazy: high debt., high PE, but high ROE of 108% (have they been buying back a lot of stock?). I've held as conservative play in my USD portfolio. Has it been going up because of dividend and considered safe play? I am thinking of selling at this price and holding the cash for an opportunity in the midst of this market correction?
Read Answer Asked by James on October 01, 2014
Q: LTS.us appears to be defying the mkt, and is steadily moving up. What is your assessment? And should I wait to buy? As a financial service company, though small in size, it may have found a niche that will propel it forward.
Read Answer Asked by Lionel on October 01, 2014
Q: This is a follow up question on Blackstone. Is it true that some private equity clients are trying to do deals themselves, reducing the need for services provided by companies like BX. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Francis on October 01, 2014
Q: Can I please have your opinion on Black Stone BX on NYSE. Is it a buy, hold or sell. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Francis on October 01, 2014
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