Investment Q&A

Q: Hi, I'm slowly transitioning from a growth portfolio to a dividend portfolio for retirement, starting with positions in JEPI and JEPQ. Can you suggest a couple of US and a couple of Canadian ETFs with high dividends (+6%) that would complement these two? Thanks!

Q: Hello, just wanted your updated opinion on HLIF to generate income. I would also appreciate another choice of covered call ETF with more history and with which you would be comfortable for maximum income without undue risk. Thanks.

Q: TXF Vs EIT.UN. Which would you prefer for overall total performance ( appreciation and dividend) over a holding period of 3-5 years. Or if any other preferences. Thanks

Q: I am interested in income and currently hold 3% of ZWU and 3% of ZWC in my RIF. I would like to bring one of them up to a 5% holding and am looking for your opinion on which one to add to and why. Thanks, James

Q: Retired, dividend-income investor. I hold AQN in my RRSP, bought it in 2011 at $5.60 (not a typo) and have trimmed it multiple times due to asset allocation. Not that it matters, but I am still up 15% over my ACB.

Looking forward is what really matters. AQN is up roughly 20% from it's low of around $9/share. Q#1 = Do you think AQN can continue their short term performance?

I hold AQN, FTS, TRP, NNRG, NRGI, and utility-energy stocks held within CDZ, ZLB, ZWC. Q#2 = What conservative utility or infrastructure stocks should I consider that might "fill the gap" in my current holdings? Please list 4-6 stocks for me to do further research on.

Q#3 = Should a component of "renewables" be a consideration? That was one of the reasons for holding AQN. Ideas?

So the bottom line is = what's done is done. AQN appears to be starting to recover and there is always the chance of being bought out.
1. Hold of sell,
2. Replace with what,
3. Include renewables?

Thanks for your help....Steve

Q: Looking at 3 very different asset classes that offer high yields and would appreciate your help in sorting which ones offer best risk/ reward.
1. Covered calls: NXF, ZWC, ZWU, LIFE, JEPI;
2. Credit - OCSL, ORCC, MAINMAIN
3. Yield - GCOW, EIT-UN.
Questions: 1. What is your comfort level on risk/reward for any or all;
2. Please choose which are investable with short commentary as to rationale and and target buy prices

Q: A portion of my portfolio is invested in the BMO Covered Call ETF's. In their fund prospectus, they indicate that a portion of your return is a return of capital. Is this a return of invested capital or is this the return of the premiums collected from writing the calls against the underlying securities?

Q: These are my current holdings and I am looking forward to 2023. They are held in relatively the same quantities in 5 different accounts, a RRIF, 2 TFSA's and 2 Non registered accounts. I am retired an enjoy the income. Do you see any issues with these holdings or have any suggestions looking forward. The only non dividend holding is AR.
Take any extra credits as necessary. Thank you in advance. Enjoy and appreciate 5i'S help. Happy New Year.

Q: Hi, can you suggest a few ETF'S and covered call ETF'S to put in a self directed RRIF, providing income and some growth. I know you're not keen on giving specific portfolio construction, IE, everyones circumstances are different, I would really appreciate just a few ideas for core holdings.
Thank's James

Q: Hi, is there a cdn etf equivalent to jepi, schd and divo?

Q: Hello 5i
In one of the recent questions it was said that you do not like covered call etf’s. I didn’t know that was the case. Maybe it isn’t, even i don’t know. I have concentrated my covered calls on American companies that i own. Also many uncovered puts. I have concentrated on the US because the premiums are much higher than on Canadian stocks. I have quite a few Canadian stocks, however. And i hate to see them languishing and unproductive. I have therefore been thinking of a way to make some money on them. The premiums are so low that it doesn’t seem to be worth the effort. But, covered call etf’s would be easier. I don’t know much about them, however. I wonder whether you might provide some information and some pros and cons. Whether you like the idea or not.
Thanks for the excellent service.

Q: Hello
There are Youtube Investment Advisors pushing the theme of income investing. Nothing else matters, just the income. Not taxation nor ETF price action (Capital Value).

Given this ETF Theme of Covered Call Strategy (some leveraged 25%) are paying such a high distribution, in the right set of market events (down excessive period) can this strategy trade itself to zero?

They are certainly not making 15% income from dividends and call writing. So capital erosion must be the outcome in today's market.

I was holding covered call etfs from BMO during Covid crash. The strategy performed worse, even after distributions, than straight equity holdings. It was a terrible experience as there was zero downside protection and the strategy seemed to accentuate the drawdown.

Given the current environment (more downside in my opinion) are these ETFs setting investors up for an ugly awakening? ( distribution cuts, return of capital (One's own money), price decline and slowness to recover when markets come back)

Thoughts

Q: I am a vlaue investor, 76 years old, good pension. 43 stocks, 16 ETF's including the above covered call ETF's. I do have some growth holdings (IWO, LNF, WSP).All are doing well except ZIM and SYZ (not worried). My question is the covered call holdings are 10% of my portfolio. Is 10% too much? I do enjoy the $650 a month dividends which have been consistent for the past five months.
Thank you
Stanley

Q: Any Canadian alternatives to JEPI?

Q: Hello 5i
I hold the above covdered call ETF's as well as at least two individual companies from each (from before I bought these). also have over 10 ETF's that are not cover call. I have 51 positions with 49 stocks. These have performed well during this period of unrest. No they do not hit the high notes but not even close to bottom notes either but steadil;y increase in value aside from the dividends. My question is: with these new covered call ETF's at 12% of my investing portfolio (not including GIC's) might this be considered too much? Each is between 1.5% and 2% of the portfolio as are most of my holdings. The dividends are great and have kept up for the last three months. These also hold great companies that I would hold if I had room (and funds to buy them!) as a value investor. Please take as many credits as required.
Thank you
Stanley

Q: Hi, Would ZWC’s payout be considered eligible dividends? What about the other BMO covered call etf? Thanks.

Q: Hello 5i,
I am a value invester with a mix of equities and ETF's. I have done well with VGT and am up $8,000. As I look for dividends I am looking to sell VGT and buy ZWT. Also exchanging XHYy for ZWH, XTR for ZWC and VE for ZWE. Some are underwater but not by much. $75,000 is involved altogether with these exchanges. Do these changes make sense or should I just leave things as they are. The difference in dividends is nice to have (an extra $300 or more a month) but not really needed.
Stanley

Q: Hello,

I own the whole list (weights 1% to 2%) thinking I was being diversified but maybe went too far.

1) I am on the right track to reduce to about 3 names?
2) Which names optimise income?
3) Alternative names that I might have missed?

Many thanks!

Q: As concerns ZWC vs ZEB: I had assumed that the former's high return-of-capital component were accounting-speak for capital gains from the sale of covered calls - essentially, a way to defer capital gains taxes until the position were closed. So what's not to like about deferring capital gains taxes, particularly for an stable, NAV-appreciating, income-oriented instrument like ZWC, which we would expect to hold for a long time? I.e., what am I missing about why lower return-of-capital should be 'better' - or, more generally, is there a threshold above which high return-of-capital creates some sort of weird risk?

Q: Pipeline and utility stocks having increased in price recently. What would you think about buying one of the ZPAY etf's for the dividend replacement of the utility and pipeline stocks. And buying the pipeline and utility stocks on a pull back. And which ZPAY etf would you recommend?

Thanks
Brian