Investment Q&A

Q: hello 5i:
At present, we have no preferred shares in our portfolio and I'd like to add some. In a September question directed to you, you said:

"We are very comfortable with the credit of Fortis for income investors. We would rank: I, M, J, H, K, G, F"
Can you explain why the series I is ranked first? I'm looking at both the series I and the series M as there is a fairly large difference in yields. Is there a higher yielding company, utility-like, that provides a yield of 4-5% that would be considered very safe (almost bond-like; obviously looking for yield)
thanks
Paul L

Q: Thank you for your explanation of floating rate versus fixed rate preferreds with my two examples of BAM.PR,B and BRF.PR.E. { I assume by fixed rate you mean perpetual } ..... I don't really understand the preferred space but have been researching the effects of the virus crash versus these stock prices. Overlaying the price pre crash on the various kinds.... Perpetuals had a little drop and climbed back to close to where they were. Whereas fixed rate resets and floating rates fell between 20% and 40% and are still down there. Well we all know interest rates aren't going up any time soon and it sure looks to me like there isn't a lot of room to fall. Two I'm looking at are FTS.PR.I a floating rate preferred and ENB.PR.H a fixed rate reset preferred.... I'm trying to understand why they were hammered so badly when realistically interest rates don't have much room to drop . I'd still be getting the interest rate based on the stock price which would be close to 10% on one and 7% on the other less whatever the amount of the interest rate drop is wouldn't I ? . What is the investment theory that made them correct so much ? And what market conditions would exist to gain back those losses ? ...Visually it looks to me like in the case of the Enbridge product if interest rates were to drop a half a percent my yield would drop from 10% to 9.5% ..... I know there is something I'm not grasping here . I just don't know what it is . Thank you for your guidance through these financial conditions.