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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 currently have 50K ready to be invested in the market. I am looking for capital gain in the next 24 months. Above stocks have been hammered and did not fully recover yet. Agree that they are in different sectors, my portfolio is otherwise diversified.
Could you give me your expert opinion and prioritize your choices if any from the above.
I always value your opinion
Raouf
Read Answer Asked by Raoul on May 20, 2020
Q: Retired dividend-income investor. On the company page, Park Lawn in listed as Consumer-Cyclical. On the Monthly Income Portfolio report, it is listed as Consumer-Non-Cyclical. I would assume the latter is correct...one would think that burial services would be considered a staple. Question #1 = Please confirm your view as to the appropriate sector for PLC.

I am light on Consumers and have been wanting to top up this sector, but am thinking of staying away from the Discretionary sub-sector until things attempt to normalize over the next few months or quarters. I currently own PBH and NWC, both food companies. I used to own MG, LNF, AW and I will reconsider them again at some point, especially LNF. Question #2 = What are your thoughts about taking a new position in PLC ? I have read your March 25/20 report which concludes with a B+ rating. Some of the current metrics look ok (P/BV, P/CF, P/S, Beta, forward P/E). However, I calculate the payout ratio to be 175%...am I right? Is the dividend sustainable? I see a ROE of 1% from one source and 8% from a 2nd source. Comments please...thanks.

Q#3 = I actually need two consumer stocks that pay a dividend, ideally over 3.0%, but I'm willing to bring the threshold down to around 2.5%. Would you please rank PLC, LNF, AW, MG and any other consumer stock your filter system could identify for me to consider.

Thanks for your help...much appreciated...take 3 credits...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on April 14, 2020
Q: Hello 5i,
As a pensioner who requires dividends for my income, I have been looking at the above names to potentially add over the next year or so. It is my belief (uneducated guess) that it might take that long before we see any solid bottom and subsequent recovery begin.
In that vein, out of the above, how would you rank these based on the following:
1. Safety of company through a one year to 16 month recession.
2. Safety of the dividend through this same period.
3. Confidence in management team
4. Sector vulnerability
5. Value at current levels
6. Any other considerations, warnings or caveats for any of these ??
i.e. some of these have a decent 5i rating (B or higher), but the rating dates back to 2019, some as early as the summer.
And, finally, are there any suggestions you might have that are not on this list that deserve serious consideration in place of any of the above?
I am in no rush for an answer so take as long as you need to consider this question and deduct as many credits as you see fit - I should have enough to cover it. I hope that this question might also prove beneficial to other 5i members who rely on dividends for income.
All the best to everyone in this very trying and uncertain time!!! Be safe above all!!
Thanks to all at 5i!!
Cheers,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Mike on March 23, 2020
Q: Even though LNF had a good last quarter, I am having a hard time understanding why Leon's is holding up as well as it is. When you build a house or do major reno's, you need to buy or upgrade your furniture. However, if the economy and specifically the housing industry are slowing down (as they are now), your need for furniture should follow suit. Shouldn't Leon's stock price follow suit and drop off more? I must be missing something. Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 21, 2020
Q: Hi, I'm a retired, dividend-income investor. I took some profits and losses (to wipe out potential capital gains) over the last 5 weeks and am now planning on reinvesting the cash to top up some of my existing equities, up to my desired asset allocation. I want to leg in, in probably 3 waves over the next couple (?) of months, to top up ZWC, AD, AQN, AW, BNS, BCE, LNF, NWC, RY, TRP, WSP.

Can you please indicate which of the above equities you would allocate into which wave (in other words, does it look like the equity is "ready" for an investment OR should I continue to wait for a while)...or not at all (not worth any further investment).

Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 18, 2020
Q: Retired, conservative dividend-income investor with a "buy-and-hold & trim-add around a core position" strategy. At times like these, I take a fresh look at my holdings and ask two key questions. #1 = are there any of my equity holdings that have alarm bells going off? #2 = how safe are the dividends (knowing that no dividend is 100% secure)? The portfolio capital may rise or fall, but it is the continuation of the dividend that is more important.

For asset allocation purposes related to individual stocks (as opposed to sector allocations), I use the following:
5% targets = AQN, BCE, BNS, PBH, RY, TRP, WSP
4% targets = AD, AW, CSH, NWC
2% targets = LNF, MG, NTR
ETF targets = roughly 3-7%

Q#1 = are there any of these equities that you hear alarm bells?
Q#2 = are there any of these equities where you foresee dividend risk?
Q#3 = any thoughts on how I have my asset allocations set up (knowing it is a very personal decision?

Take a bunch of credits. Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 06, 2020
Q: GC is a very big disappointment since purchase @ $55.96 some time ago($57 is 1 yr H) with problems like money laundry in B.C. & muted outlook despite some good Qs like today's.Today Canaccord upgraded to $59 from $58 with a Buy after It beat
estimated Rev & Eps. Estimated that casino Pickering will completed by end of Q1 & hotel & entertainment venue by Dec31 It hurts while waiting with no dividend despite buy back by GC with no meaningful appreciation in price.Is there a better stock to replace it,if desired.Txs for u usual great services & views
Read Answer Asked by Peter on March 05, 2020
Q: Hi...just read your March 1 email....very timely. I have been evaluating some of my current equity holdings from the point of view of topping up some or all of them over time...to reach my asset allocation targets. I do a monthly review of all of my holdings using metrics like P/E, P/BV, P/CF, ROE, Beta, Analyst targets, charting vs 200 mda and higher highs-lows. Mid-Feb I raised roughly 5% cash (basically trimming oversized positions that also appeared to be stretched) and could direct it to the above list. I am a retired, dividend income investor.

The 4 BNN Market Call guests on Thursday-Friday indicated that legging in to this buying opportunity should be considered, as, in their opinion, the market is extremely oversold. In your past life as a Fund Manager, what metrics did you use to guide your process on whether to buy or sit on your hands? For example, "when the VIX is high, it is time to buy"...the VIX is now at 40.

If this is a fair question, could you rank the above 9 equities for topping up to existing positions? My process, for example, has identified LNF as one of the priorities.

Take as many credits as you think appropriate. Thanks...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 03, 2020
Q: Please provide your suggestions for non US investments of above 3.5% yield and some growth and somewhat protected from volatility in Canada and internationally. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Peter on February 04, 2020
Q: I'm continuing to rebalance my portfolios. The above stocks are in my income portfolio and are less than full positions. Would you sell any of them? I have enough cash on hand to top up two of them. Which would you top up. (I hold 22 diverse stocks in this account)
Read Answer Asked by Rod on February 03, 2020
Q: I am a conservative, retired, dividend-income investor. I normally save up to 5% "full positions" for typical blue chip stocks, like the telecoms, pipelines, banks, etc.

I have partial positions in Leon's (2% position), Magna (2%) and Nutrien (1.5%). Would you add to any or all of these? At this stage in the market cycle, would you favour one over the rest...please rank.

Thanks...your guidance throughout 2019 was much appreciated...love the service.
Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on January 07, 2020
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