Investment Q&A

Q: Can you comment on the tax considerations of the ECN special dividend in a non-registered account? I am up almost $2 currently but will receive a $7.50 dividend. From a tax perspective I feel I am better to sell now and pay the capital gains on the $2 instead of taxes on the $7.50 dividend . I can always buy it back later. Assume I am in a medium to high marginal tax bracket.
Thanks

Q: Please comment on quarterly earnings vs expectations because the business they sold to Truist wasn’t included in the quarterly results. Did the remaining 2 businesses meet or beat expectations of analysts?

Q: What is the case for buying ECN? It hasn't done much since the announcement. You will get a whopping big dividend eventually but that's basically just being chopped off the value of the company so the stock value will plunge by around the same amount. Maybe the new remaining company will be worth more - or maybe not. But you can buy that after the split anyway if things are positive. Am I wrong here? Why should I buy ECN as opposed to something else which has strong momentum and performance?

Q: Do you know (or make an informed guess) the timelines of the ECN asset sale and the subsequent dividend payout? Thanks.

Q: What type of account is best suited for beginning a position in ECN?

Q: I am puzzled by their recent $75m bought deal when they have such a large amount to come in. Any thoughts?

Q: I hold TTD In a growth focused portfolio at a small profit but looking for more torque. Would you swap it out for AT?

Same situation for a position with ECN and adding those funds to small positions of DND and EGLX.

Q: HI 5i, What are your thoughts regarding this company? A couple of months ago this company sold 2billion dollars of shares to another company. With the funds they were going to pay out a special dividend of $7.50 per share to shareholders. I would like to know when I will receive this dividend?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Bob

Q: What three companies in the growth portfolio would you have no qualms of starting a position today?

Q: Hi 5i Team - I have shares of ECN in both my non-registered and TFSA accounts. Could you tell me if the special dividend of $7.50 will be treated by Revenue Canada as a regular dividend by a Canadian corporation. If so then there will be a percentage added to the amount of dividend for total income purposes which could affect my marginal tax rate. Is it better then to move the non-registered shares into my TFSA (in spite of the dividend tax credit) which will trigger a capital gains of 50% of the profit. Thanks as always for the great service!

Q: Hi,
In respect to the question from Brad in regards to small caps, you responded as:

"We have seen some studies showing the group is cheap (relatively) than it has been in 10 years. The 4Q is often good for the sector.

Could you name 3 to 5 small cap stocks that you would recommend?
Thanks,

Q: Thank for the answer yesterday and appreciated Garth’s Q&A.
Just to make sure I am not entirely mistaken, but at $3.00 ps there would (after sale) $2.00 ps in cash?
Of course the caveat on the transaction, but do you know how long Truist Bank has had a friendly relationship with ECN?

TIA

Q: In Dan's comment on Aug.13/21 he quotes some earnings and growth numbers that show the remaining part of ECN have both value and some pretty good growth numbers { Triad 72.5% and KG 30.6% }.... First could you confirm Dan's numbers ? And then take a stab at an estimated share price based on the remaining company and what you think of management, valuation, future growth, and whatever else you deem prudent in making such an evaluation ?

And second I realize 5I doesn't like giving weighting advice so I'll explain my philosophy on it. With a company like ECN a mid cap about to become a small cap I would normally be around 1.5% .... However with the downside limited to $2.50 a share and a belief that the remaining company doesn't face that much of a downside I am willing to go 2.5% to 3% ..... So that is what I did .... But after purchase I thought " Wait a minute. After my return in cash I took less than a 1% position . " How does 5I recommend I approach the situation with my goals in mind ?

Q: Yet another Q on ECN. Sorry. Was listening again to Hudson's interview on BNN on Aug. 11. In it Steve mentioned that he expects cash flow to grow to 120mil. a year in (relatively) short order. I was just wondering how that would look on a company that will trade (let us say) for $3.00 a share? I am imagining that there are few PF managers who could own ECN as it grew but soon won't be able to because of size and when I can hope for them to return?

TIA

Q: ECN at under $10.00 baffles me. I am tempted to buy more, but I wonder what am I missing?

Q: I hold ECN in my TSFA will there be a tax with held on the special dividend from the U.S.

Q: I seem to be confused by the announcement of the ECN sale and expected dividend. If I buy ECN now, will I qualify for the dividend of $7.50? Or is that dividend only for those who held on Aug 10.

John

Q: Lots of questions about this one.

One argument I've heard for why the stock isn't up on the dividend news is that the dividend isn't tax efficient for US holders, who evidently own about 40% of ECN float. That coupled with the embedded gains and worry about taxes increasing has them selling now, and the CDN demand for those shares being sold isn't enough to push the stock price higher.

If this is true, it may limit the near term opportunities even after the dividend if Americans feel burned that they didn't get a good deal out of a great deal made by ECN.

That all said, I've added to my already large position due largely to management and they're proven abilities.

My 2 cents, curious what you think.

Cam

Q: Hi 5i,

Would you sell DND for ECN today for a 1 - 2 year hold?

Q: Good Afternoon:
Further to Allen's question on the company's valuation post $7.50 dividend, does the market's then valuation of $2.60 per share accurately or fairly value the remaining divisions of the company considering their recent performance and that some debt may be repaid?
In that context, what factors in your mind exist or what positioning or news releases can the company make to mitigate the share price dropping by the amount of the dividend.
Lastly, aside from the direction of the general market in the last week or so, do you see the recent drop in share price as over reaction?
Thank you!
Ian