Investment Q&A

Q: Both of these are down significantly today. NFI had a press release. This was viewed as negative by the market, but to me it seems the company is reducing risk. No idea why TCN is down again, it is selling for less than half book value. Any risk of these companies going bankrupt? They both seem to be incredible buys at these prices. Your views, please.

Q: Hi 5i Research Team:

I have traded Forex before and am new to stock trading. 90% of my RRSP, RESP and TFSA is in cash and I'd like to avail the current market conditions by "gradually" buying the dips.. and holding it over the long term, 5 to 10 years. I understand that no one can time the market or its bottom.

After exploring the reports and questions on your site, I have identified the enclosed 29 stocks based on following criteria:
- Current Retracements of > 75% over 52 week high & low
- Dividend Yield > 5% (in some cases, like WEED, which is a bit risky, I understand there's no dividend in the near term.. and I am simply going for the upside swing over the next 2 years... same for CRON and Air Canada)

Considering my 90% cash position and strategy to partially buy in on dips over the next few weeks, can you please advise if my stock selection is sound. In addition to my stock picks, please advise anything else that I should keep in mind.

Thanks for everything you do. Much appreciate.

Q: If I were to average down on these stocks which would you buy first and are there any in which you would not buy at this time. Could ECN go under if things don't improve over the next 6 months. Thank you.

Q: Can I please get your opinion on the above stocks? Would you consider these bargains at these prices if one is expecting this turbulence not be last longer than one quarter? How sustainable do you view their dividends if we enter a brief recession? I'm wondering whether to get greedy while others are fearful.

Thanks for the great service!

Q: Are there any companies out there now with an 8% or higher dividend that you would suggest for a long term hold? I say 8, bc it hasn’t been overly hard to find 4-5 before this carnage. I picked up ENB already, and I’m ok if the short/med term div is cut and the price falls further. I’m really looking for stocks that will likely pay a high stable dividend into the future (based on current prices) after things return to normal. No preference on sector.

Q: Hi 5i,

Thank you for the great insight during this challenging time. Can I please ask your opinion on these five existing positions? Each is sitting at a substantial loss and trying to decide whether to sell, hold, or with a Canadian recession on the near horizon:
-Parkland Fuel
-New Flyer
-Cymbria
-Western Forest Products
-Savaria

Thank you in advance. Please use credits as needed.

G

Q: Their just posted numbers look like a solid beat to me...do you agree? The stock is down about 17% as I write this question so it appears the future outlook is negative due to Covid-19 worries both real and imagined. Still a hold in your opinion?
Thanks,
Jim

Q: If NFI is already owned but would like to increase the number of shares would you rate this stock as a buy or hold or sell?
Thanks

Q: Can you talk about the fundamentals of these companies that are part of your Balanced portfolio? From a technical perspective they have been going the wrong direction for quite some time. Thanks.

Q: Two questions: i) You have previously voiced concerns with respect to NFI production control issues and ii) there appear to have been several additional contract awards to NFI in recent weeks. Do you consider the production issues have now been addressed and no longer a concern and, do the additional/cumulative contract awards represent a significant improvement in this company's outlook and is this a decisive move by purchasers of mass transit vehicles? I appreciate there is unlikely to be a short term profit bump but if there has been a productive move or change in purchasing trends do you expect the benefits will mostly accrue to this company and in the longer term. Thank you for your response.

Q: As a retired investor, I am keen on stocks with low betas, high dividends and some growth. AQN, NPI and BEP all meet these criteria and are all up significantly, riding on a crest of green sentiment. These three stocks now compromise 13.5% of my total portfolio. I am loathe to part with my green energy stocks as they are doing so well. That said, have I put too many eggs in one basket? At what percent should I cap my green energy investment? Other than higher interest rates, what could impact continued growth in this sector?

On a related note, I am now overweight in utilities, which now represent 21% of my total portfolio. This includes the three above-mentioned stocks, plus Fortis and BEP. Would you suggest reducing this weighting? And if so, which stock(s )would you be inclined to sell?

Thank you.

Q: Hi,

Waiting on the 30 day period to release-purchase NFI after recording a tax loss. Purchased REAL with the funds from NFI. So far the rise in SP in NFI has equaled the rise in REAL.

Based on the aforementioned, would you sell REAL in order to repurchase NFI, or just keep REAL, based on current fundamentals, without regard to weightings by sector?

Q: Investing in companies that are directly involved in the climate change space seems to be a big investment growth theme and that may explain the good performance of these stocks over the last while. New Flyer is included because of their electric bus component. Successful companies ought to see growing valuations.

Q: Looking thru your Q&A on NFI you appear to be cautious wrt its prospects, While in recent days NFI has announced several contracts - two on 30/01 and one 21/01. Your notes precede the last two. What impact do you expect these contracts to have on NFI earnings and outlook and is their announcement is indicative of a trend? Thank you

Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and Team,

Most recently, Peter, you're quoted in the StockChase website as follows:

"They have done nothing but disappoint for the last couple of quarters. He kept it because the valuation changed and no one expects anything from this company. He is going to give it a couple more quarters."

Two even more negative sentiments were recently expressed on the same website:

"Their competitors have an electric bus and NFI is struggling with that transition away from fossil fuel buses. A value trap."

"He would not be a buyer today because there is a pending transition to electric buses. Municipalities are holding back until they become more main-stream. Wait one to two years to see larger orders."

We're down 45.7% in a TFSA, and wondering if 5i agrees that the electric bus situation is hurting NFI, and what to do in a couple of quarters if 5i drops it.

Thanks for your insight.

Q: I hold the following in my balanced equity type portfolio and they all represent less than a half position, either because they have dropped or because they have not kept up with the rest of the portfolio. I have enough new money to top up 4 or 5 of them to their original weightings. Which would you top up at this point and which would you simply let go?

Q: Would you be able to provide me with any info on insider trading over the past three or four monhs in NFI, TOY and SJ. Also the percentage of insider holdings for each company. Thank you.

Q: your latest report shows a 12% inside positn but Bloomberg shows only 2.7% which is correct? Thx

Q: Part of the balanced portfolio - which of these you like for the new money be added to (in list of preference). Total return is the goal and 3 year time frame. NFI , QSR, MX, NTR, SIS, ATD, TOY. I own all these but have lower weights in portfolio. Thanks

Q: Hello Peter, Asked this question over weekend, but may be lost somewhere so asking again.
As part of a balanced portfolio in TFSA, which of these are worthy of new money in order of preference ( FROM TOTAL RETURN PERSPECTIVE - 3 YEAR TIME FRAME), I own all of these but low in weights. X, NFI, TOY,NTR,QSR,SIS, ATD.
Or if anyone else you like better.
Also, if any of these is a outright sell and re-allocate into others.