Investment Q&A

Q: I have the above international ETF's in my RIF at a total allocation of 39%. I am interested in your assessment of my choices. Any duplication? Should I delete any? What should I add in it's place? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for adding analytics. It's a great assist.

Q: Thank you for for answer yesterday about setting up my parent's investments. To summarize, they are very conservative, above 80 years old, and looking for safety and income.

I would now like to ask you about the distribution of the equity component of the investments (composing only 17% of the total, the rest being in bonds, preferred, and GICs). Those below are all in equal weight. What do you thing?

BEP.UN, BCE, BNS, CM, CU, ENB, TRP
XHC for healthcare exposure
IWO for US growth
VGG for US exposure
XEF (in a half position) for international exposure
VEE (in a half position) for emerging market exposure

Could you please suggest some more to round things out? I need another 5 or 6 stocks.


Also, do you have any objection to using ZAG and HYGH as bond substitutes for their conservative portfolio? I am buying individual preferred shares for that component.

Thank you once again,

Fed

Q: I hold both VEE and VEF in a Cdn dollar trading account,; given that we are unlikely to see any substantial appreciation in the Cdn $$ for a while, is that a duplication, and if so, would it make more sense to just keep the unhedged version?

Q: Hi 5i
I am completely new to the world of ETFs but, according to Portfolio Analytics (and I did know it was a good idea before being told, really I did) I need to add US and International exposure to my portfolio. I think the only reasonable way for me to do that given I don't/can't follow non-Canadian equity markets is through ETFs.
I would like to place 55K in US ETFs and 45K in International ETFs and this will, for now, comprise the entire non-Canadian portion of my portfolio.
I am not adverse to some above average risk and while I'd like income I'm more interested in growth.
In researching where to place this money I've concluded that I might not have the candle power necessary to make rational decisions about ETFs because of the distinct possibility of purchasing ETFs that hold the same or similar underlying equities from the same or similar geographies in the same or similar sectors (assuming I'm not just concentrating on discrete sectors). Left to my own devices I feel that I could very possibly purchase a little bundle of different ETFs that are all essentially but unintentionally quite similar.
My question is two-fold:
1. Is my concern about concentration valid or have I misinterpreted the lay of the land, and
2. Could you suggest 4 or 5 US ETFs and a similar # of International ETFs that I can consider and that won't have the type of overlap I'm worried about.
I realize this is a broad and general (and perhaps rambling) question - so please deduct as many credits as you think is warranted.
Thanks a lot!
Peter

Q: Hi 5i,

Portfolio Analytics is telling me to lighten up slightly in CDN exposure and add to International.

I hold First National (up 25%) and Corus (down God knows how much but bouncing back recently). Both in my TFSA. These were literally the first two individual stocks I ever purchased.

Just based on the fact this is a TFSA and my time horizon is decades, the answer is probably a no-brainer but I've got to ask your opinion anyways - should I dump these and roll the $ into an Intl ETF?

I've got lots of exposure (XAW) to developed markets but much less so to emerging. I am considering both VEE and XEC. Thoughts on either, or a better option?

Please deduct credits as appropriate for the multi-part question.

Thanks!

Ryan

Q: I ZEM, VEE, and XEC. The yield on ZEM is approximately 1% but the others are approximately 2 - 2.5%. My thought is to migrate from ZEM to XEC, for the improved yield.
1. Are there any significant differences between the 3 (eg tax treatment)?
2. Do you think it is worth migrating for that bit of extra yield?
3. Or there other reasons why ZEM would be good to hold? I will still have some diversification with the VEE.
thanks for your great service.

Q: Knowing Sapiens of 5i - 2 questions - do you think that over the next year some increase in exposure to emerging markets is appropriate and would you use VEE or XEC if so and IEMG for US dollar exposure or another US ETF - second might a reduction of exposure to Cdn banks seem reasonable over the next year (ie sell some TD and maybe some BNS) and buy some SLF or another financial Cdn equity for some greater torque - in other words do you suspect the banks may stagnate a bit over the next year and become income only to some extent - best guess please - appreciate your instincts - Ken of Yonge and Eg

Q: Hi, thank you for the article on international stocks and the portfolio analytics.
I am now trying to decrease my Canadian home bias (40% to 25%) by increasing my international exposure (20% to 35%) and maintaining my US at 40%. My wife and I own XWD, VE and XEF in our TFSAs. I was thinking of selling XWD and adding VEE or VWO (RRSP) and/or VDU or VEA (RRSP). The switch to RRSP additions is to benefit from US withholding tax exemption.

Could I have your thoughts on the above changes. Is there too much overlap in owning all four ETFs? Could I simplify to one, two or three?

Thank you.

Q: I have 30% of my money in diversified CDN equities and don't need the money for 20 years.
I am not interested in bonds or REITs. I was considering putting the other 70% in the following ETF's.
45% VFV
18% VUN
18% XQQ
11% XEF
8% VEE
This would put around 57% of the total money in the USA. I am fine with that.
The MER would be around 0.18% based on the blend. I know this breaks your rule of keeping less than 25% in one fund. It also places a lot of money in Vanguard - which has been around since 1975, but nothing is for sure. Wondering what you think of this set up and also maybe I could sub out VUN for XUU. This would make 53% Vanguard and 47% iShares. Trading VUN for XUU would lower the MER a little as VUN is 0.16% and XUU is 0.07%

Q: Good afternoon,
The analytics indicated that I needed to increase my international exposure by 31%. I'm sitting on some cash that I hadn't decided what to do with. I assume it makes sense to add international ETF's. The ETF recommendations from analytics included the VEE and VIU. I currently hold a small amount of the VEE and the VXUS. I'll add to the VEE. Which do you prefer the VXUS or VIU or should I just add to both with having so little exposure outside of North America?
Thanks,
Kerri

Q: CIF 823 is the last remnant from the portfolio of my former financial advisor. How would you assess this mutual fund? Would an ETF (or several) be a preferred replacement?
Your input is always appreciated!

Q: For international exposure, would you endorse holding a combination of VXUS and VEE? If so, in what proportion should each be held?

Q: I want to invest part of my portfolio in emerging markets. My present portfolio makeup is 89% CDN equities & 11% US equities. What percentage of a portfolio do you recommend be invested in emerging markets? What parts of the world do recommend for investment purposes & what ETF’s specialize in those areas? Thanks … Cal

Q: Hi - looking for recommendation for ETF recommendations within my TFSA. 40% of TFSA will be for this ETF mix and 60% is in your Balanced Equity model. Long term investment horizon for me as in mid 30s. Any recommendations?

Q: I have a small position in vee and am considering. Adding some rww as a complimentary position for diversification. Your assessment and analysis would be appreciated.

Q: Have a limited amount to spend and wondered how you view ATCO considering the Kitimat deal. I currently hold ZEF and have noticed that you like VEE. Would I be best off changing to VEE?

Q: I have read here and elsewhere that that VEE does not hold stocks directly, but rather via its US listed counterpart VWO. However, I can't find any confirmation of this on the Vanguard side or in the VEE prospectus. The Vanguard Canada page for VEE implies that stocks are held directly. Can you please confirm that this is in fact the case? Thank-you.

Q: It seems to me that emerging markets are starting to act a bit better as of late. Do you agree a move into EM at this time would be wise? If so, please suggest a few ways to play the trend. If not, give your reasons. Awaiting your respected analysis.

Q: Can you please recommend an emerging market etf
Thank you

Q: I would liked to switch the focus of my investments from equities to ETF's. Could you give me some broad parameters for guidance.
Could you suggest 10 ETF's for starters. Mid to long term with medium risk.
Thanks for your help.