Investment Q&A

Q: This stock looks like it has a best before date and it has expired. What a dog for the last year return. Holding cash and shopping at Costco gives you a better return. What will turn this company around?
Thanks Again

Q: For more defensive US stocks (I.e. non tech) how would you rank the long term performance of the following CL, Cost, HD, MCD, SYK and URI. I have all of these, but I am not happy with the performance of CL nor MCD and I am thinking of selling them and upping my positions in the others. I am not worried about being concentrated in too few stocks, as I have the opposite problem.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Q: Can you give the names of 10 quality stocks in defensive sectors please.
Thanks.

Q: What might be 10 stocks (trading on a usa exchange but not necessarily a US company) that you would suggest holding for all of 2026 as a portfolio. Thank you.

Jason

Q: Costco has been treading down from its high. What is the reason for this? Is this a good time to purchase or wait? What would be a good entry price? Thank you for your great service.
Stella

Q: We hold most of the 5i Balanced and some of the income portfolio stocks plus the fallowing us stocks. amzn, brk.b, cost, goog, isrg, lly, msft, nvda, smci, vrt, v. Berkshire is over 8% and the others are 5% please suggest a couple of us names to add to this portfolio. or any to trim. ( US is a growth portfolio ).
Thank you for your superb service over more than 10 years. Ian

Q: In your answer to a recent question from Tim about how to prepare for an inevitable market correction, you suggested holding stocks in defensive areas of Consumer Staples, Utilities, and Healthcare, Can you pls provide 5-6 names in each of those areas that you would want to hold. A mix of Cdn and US would be great. Thank you for your excellent service.

Q: PPI , Producer Price Index in the US, reported this morning (September 10) , show a surprising drop of 0.1% vs. an expected increase of 0.03%. It’s unclear where tariffs, which is essentially a consumption tax, is being absorbed. Logically it should show up in consumer prices before long. It’s either that, or margins at retail companies will adjust down. Over the next year , how will this affect the share prices of Costco and Walmart? In your opinion are such retailers likely to drift down, or trade sideways at best, for the next year or so? Or do you believe things are too uncertain to make portfolio changes based just on tariff impacts?

Q: Hi I currently hold these US companies. Can you please suggest your top 10 US companies that would compliment these the best for a long term hold? In order ideally. A growth rating 1-10 (10 being the best) and a risk rating 1-10(10 being the riskiest)

Thanks so much

Q: After making significant gains over the last several years, Costco seems to have lost steam. Up only 9% in the past year. I know you have mentioned it's become overvalued. What would have to happen for the stock to regain momentum and over what timeframe do you see this occurring? Thank you.

Q: Do you know what % of the companies sales come from Costco? I understand they are finished a $1B capital spend having expanded production facilities in the US. I know they are on the cusp of large anticipated cash flow increases from the expansion. Will producing there largely shield them from tariffs? Would you buy it now? What are the risks? Debt? Thank you.

Q: Good Day 5i team... thank you for your very valuable time, answers to questions and guidance. My question is, can you list out your top 10 ETF and or Equities you see as insulation/defensible should the over bought North American equity markets begin to slide. Thank you

Q: For a 5-10 year hold within a TFSA could you please provide your top 10 Canadian stocks or CDR’s ranked by total return/compounding potential? For a non-registered account with a 3-5 year timeframe could you also do a top 10 list including both Canadian or US equities (no CDR’s), again ranked by total return/compounding potential? Thanks.

Q: Hi,
Could you please recommend 10 (5 US / 5 CAN) high-quality defensive companies with strong balance sheets, low debt levels, and robust cash flows that YOU believe they can weather economic stress, inflation, or stagflation and they relatively hold up their stock prices during such times? If their current stock prices are overvalued, please suggest your recommended entry prices.

Also please recommend ETFs that mainly invest in companies with the above criteria?

Thank you

Q: Thoughts on the current overall market and going forward 1-2 years? I just read Howard Marks latest memo and he is cautious at these levels based on over valuation and many other speculative factors that are often discussed here. I have a very growth weighted portfolio and high embedded gains. I am a long term investor but would like to mitigate any large drawdowns when a correction comes to preserve gains. Currently my more defensive holdings are COST, DOL, ATD, IFC. Currently holding no utilities. I also hold large anchor names such as CSU, LMN, BN, BKNG, AXON, and WSP. What are your top defensive names?

If I trim my tech, I assume adding to DOL, ATD, COST, IFC be more defensive. I know you've mentioned these names as other good defensive names as well, COST, PG, ABBV, L, ATD, FTS, H, ENB, FTS, BEPC, H, SLF, RY, TD, GRT.UN, T, L, BAM.

Or would buying some covered call ETF's that offer some good yield reduce the drawdown.
Which are your top covered call ETF's? Or adding to some of these defensive ETF's would be good too? Defensive US etf'S: VDC, VPU, VHT

Thanks!

Q: Hello 5i research
Please recommend 5 stocks Canadian or US , that can be considered a sleep a night stock .I already own Csu, Lmn , BRK, Nvda, Ry among other.
Thanks

Q: Which would be your first choice between COST and DOL for initiating a full position today with a long term (multi year) horizon, and can you provide a bit of comparison between the two.

Q: hi group what's going on with following stocks and are they buy sells or holds and why? also suggested buy /sell targets

Cost
FFH
AC
TFII
NVDA
LLY
TOI
MDA

Q: hi
there is a recent pull back
is there any fundamental reasons?
looking for an entry price for a half/or a quarter position
thanks
Michael

Q: Hello, can I have your top ten list of consumer stocks, Canadian or CDRs, based on projected total return (share price plus dividends, if applicable), for a 5+ years holding period? Thanks!