Investment Q&A

Q: I intend to start a position in ECN in the near future and would appreciate your advice as to whether to buy the common shares or the preferred, of which there appear to be 2 choices available A or C . What criteria should I be looking at to make this decision ?
Keep up the good work. John

Q: I currently sit at 2.5% on EIF and GSY, would a top of of one these 2 be in order or add 2.5% of ECN? The only other financial is BNS with 2.5%.

Q: Please comment on earnings. Would you add to either/both/none of these two names?

Q: Can I get your view on the earnings release?

Q: Tech Analysis d/d Feb 6 supplied by 5i correctly predicted Breakout(B.O.) for ECN($3.88) AW.UN(36.09) & ABT(8.36).Article d/d Feb 12 stated that ECN is on a B.O. with 10 buy & CTP $4.65.Is this an entry point for ECN? Thanks for u usual great services & views

Q: As much as I enjoy your service, there are times when I find your answers provide insufficient depth. I can understand that when you are asked about obscure companies that most of us have never heard of, but I do expect more, perhaps incorrectly, when the question pertains to companies in your portfolios. Case in point on Feb 6 a question asked what you would recommend , GSY or ECN. Your answer without any support was GSY with no rationale for your choice
On Feb 5, ECN held an information session that provided guidance for 2019.
Management are looking at EPS of 23-25 cents . up from about 11 cents in 2018.
Key sub components are looking quite strong:

Kessler's projections imply earnings growth of close to 40% and revenue growth of around 60%.
Triad is guiding for adjusted operating income to grow around 17%
SFC guidance is for adjusted operating income to grow around 25% in 2019. Originations guidance is expected to be up around 36%. Management believes that the business can grow about 20% annually going forward.
Without getting into them there are other numbers that I have not mentioned that also look quite strong..
The company has been in a transitional phase the last couple of years and there will be some potential losses as ECN sells some of its legacy assets. All in all, it would appear that guidance was extremely positive.
So given this outlook what is it about GSY that makes it a better choice?

Q: I currently own ECN for a total weight of 5.3 % , I am thinking to make it a 3.5% weight and put the cash into VB. ECN is held in non rrsp account so I would be paying taxes on capital gains or just keep ECN as the momentum is good at the moment and analyst are increasing their target prices. At what weight would you sell some? I already own SLF and BNS for financial sector.
Thanks
Dolores

Q: My son is looking to add a financial company to his TFSA. He is 21 years old so has a long investment horizon. Which do you like better GSY or ECN? His only financial holding is BNS which he holds outside his TFSA.

Q: I have a question about ECN.

I have been patiently holding for over a year now after buying around 4.30. I am quite frustrated with price action and am wondering what it will take to see ECN over 4.30 (if ever) and how realistic it is to believe that there will be a catalyst that moves this stock to above $4 and perhaps closer to $5.
Thank you,
Sam

Q: Hi 5I,
The above names are all owned in my TFSA. Of these, I am underweight in COV, IWO, PHO, SDX, SYZ AND VB. I've got some cash to put to work with a long term objective. With consideration to the sector weighting, and my under weights, would you recommend I top up on any at this time or maybe introduce a completely different name or names to the portfolio? Thanks!

Q: Hi, I’m about even on ecn 1.5% and would like to switch to higher dividend paying stock 3%+ with a little growth.
For 2 years it has done little unless you were lucky and sold at the high.
Would you stick with the banks? I have TD 2.5% and FSZ 1.5%.
Thanks

Q: Hi 5i,

I'm looking to increase my current Financial Sector weighting from 5 to 15%. I currently hold BNS @ 2.2%, SLF @ 1.5%, and GSY @ 1.3%. What would you add too and/or too a new position? I don't like to have more than 5-6% of one holding, of course this would be risk adjusted down according to market cap/safety.

Last part, on sector weightings. I follow your general recommendation and I noticed you changed the following from Oct'18 to Jan'19 as follows:
Consumer disc. 10 up to 15,
Consumer staples 10 down to 5,
InfoTech 20 down to 15, and
Utilities 5 up to 10.

Can you add some commentary behind these sector weight changes?

Thanks, Chris.

Q: Ecn's preferred shares, ECN.PR.A, are down $5.00 or so since their issue last year, pay over 8% & their issuer ECN seems to be doing well. Is this quite a risky investment with a dividend of 8% percent for someone seeking yield? Is it fear of rising interest causing the drop or is there a problem with ECN that I'm unaware of? Thanks as always for your sage advice.
Dave

Q: I bought at 3.90 what option should I pick or should I just hold on to them Thanks

Q: I have a trading portfolio of about $53K, about $18K is in cash right now and I'm looking at investing it again this year after selling a bunch of stocks last year. I currently have about $22K in RBC, BNS and BAC, $3.5K in Go Easy and $1.5K in Orca Gold and would like to keep these. I have a further $7K in various oil and gas stocks which I'm underwater over 50% on, I'm thinking of still hanging onto them as I thinking they maybe at there bottom and like to recoup some of those loses.
I want to invest the $18K in growth oriented stocks that pay dividends and keep them long term, as I'm an investor not a trader. Can you give me advise on what areas of the market I should be looking at in 2019 that were very oversold in 2018 and due to rebound, also specific companies in Canada to invest in, I don't mind also looking at the US but with our dollar down so much this year I think I'm better of with Canada.

Q: I initially purchased these preferred shares when they were yielding over 7% for income in my RRSP. Today they are yielding over 9% as the price has fallen considerably. Normally I would be concerned with an investment yielding 9%, but ECN.PR.A have a minimum dividend (6.5% for $25 face value). Do I have reason to be concerned or do you see this as a buying opportunity especially since they have the minimum dividend guarantee (as long as the dividend is being paid)?

Q: Seasons greeting to the 5i team. I hold the C series preferred shares of ECN. Like many others my cost for this rate reset preferred is much higher. I understand the company has the option to redeem these shares at a specific price at different times in the future. I am wondering if at some point in the future (if held until then) the company is obligated to buy them back at par value? In other words as a shareholder can I force the company to take them back at some point and receive the $25 par value? Thanks.

Mario.

Q: I have a question about ECN auction.
At some point today on Dec 24, ECN was trading below 3.35$ which is the lower price of the band of the auction. Can ECN modified the auction price band if the price keep going down bellow 3.35$?

Thanks,
Stef

Q: You recently published a list of companies being subjected to tax loss selling. I would be interested in your opinion of the top 3-4 companies that might be appropriate for a TFSA (some growth and a bit of income) come January 2. Thanks.

Q: You answered a question on ECN.PR.C I would like to ask a similar question about ECN.PR.A. It has dropped a further $3 since last Thursday. Do you see any particular weakness other than the general conditions you have answered on previous preferred reset questions? Is the share buyback of ECN common shares weakening the company's position of paying interest? Most of my resets have been called back at reset date and new stock issued at lower rates so I have not replaced them. Is that a possibility here and with the C's? (deduct what you feel appropriate)
Thank you and Best wishes for the Christmas Season