Investment Q&A

Q: November 2020 was your last response on the business fundamentals of this company. Recognizing that the stock price has dropped even more since then, what has changed with this company's outlook when comparing time periods?

How is its balance sheet and drug pipeline compared to Pfizer?

Pfizer is clearly more of an income play but that aside, do you favour one or the other for any particular reason?

Q: Please rank these stock for risk relative to the US Tariffs from High to Low....thanks....Tom

Q: Hello,

Given the current price levels of both MRNA and PFE would this be a good time to take position in either one of those? If so which one would you recommend.

Thank you!

Q: Hi 5i, can you give me the names of 4 or 5 large cap pharmaceutical companies that are buyable now. Also I'm looking for 4 or 5 Biotech companies with one drug in the market making money and maybe something in the pipeline that looks like it has a good future? for example TGTX.

Q: Thoughts on BDX. Healthcare in general has been lagging the market and this company has not produced many gains over the years. Is it time to move on and reallocate money to new area like Quanta Services?

Q: According to Portfolio Analytics, my current allocation to Health Care sector is too low. Here are the names of 12 major US pharmaceutical companies. How would you rank them? If possible, please provide a short comment on each of them: Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, AbbVie, Amgen, Gilead Sciences, Eli Lilly, Merck, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Abbott, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibbs. Thank you

Q: Your top 5 Dividend stocks in order please for CND and US? Long term holds

Thanks you

Q: My portfolio analytics says to increase health care holdings. For a 3-5 year hold what are your top 3 companies or etfs to have. Not too risky but with growth in mind.
thxs Michele

Q: Aside from LLY and NVO, what other healthcare companies might enjoy success with weight loss drugs or products related to them? I’ve heard good things about ABT., AMGN, PFE, AZN, RHHBY and others in this regard, but I was wondering how you might rank them and/or others (most promising names first). I’m quite interested in Roche which has been showing strength after a long period of weakness (it’s now $35.69 as of Friday July 12).

Q: ETN is a theme play that is on the move. I'm thinking of selling UNH (considered defensive) and buying ETN even though it is more cyclical in nature. Other healthcare names held are ABBV, ABT, BSX, ISRQ, LLY (starting position), and SYK. Currently, health care makes up 9.71% of the total portfolio compared to industrial at 19.12%......What do you say about this stock change? And other suggestions are most welcomed!.....Tom

Q: I had a partial fill on a buy order for PFE and did not return to top up my holding . My position is too small to leave as is and I am unsure whether to add to the position or exit entirely. PFE is included in various dividend models, e.g. the AAII Dividend portfolio and the MS Global Dividend model. This prompted me to hang on. So did the many words by financial writers and commentators who have almost all been talking-up the health care sector for at least a year. Most comments by financial professionals and analysts are on how and why they expect the health care sector finally to catch up. Their focus on demographics does make sense. Yet, nothing happens to liven up the shares in pharma businesses, outside of a few stars like LLY and NVO. The share price of PFE itself has done nothing but decline. Do you the company has good prospects— good enough to ADD to the position? Or do you think I should just exit and be done with it ? (And give up on all the darn reading as research often gets one nowhere).

Q: Hi 5i, I have held Medtronic for just over 3 years and am down 30%. Do you think it's worth holding another year or two (as do a number of the analysts) or should I cut bait and redeploy the funds into LLY? Other suggestions are welcome. Do you feel Intuitive Surgical is overvalued or a good long term call? Thanks!

Q: Hello 5i,
Maybe it was replied in context of an answer to a question when it was stated tat Pfizer is a value trap. Yes, I am down $7,000 in Pfizer but I have a long term outlook. As a value investor, should I just wait it out and enjoy the dividends or get out, take the hit and replace it with something else? If replacing please suggest the alternative.
thank you

Q: I am underwhelmed with my health sector holdings - ABBV and IHI - both of which have been recently underperforming the market. I have held each for several years in a cash account and they are up 20% and 50%, respectively. I would appreciate your go forward recommendation on both, balancing future prospects, tax consequences and alternative (i.e. faster growing) investments in this sector. Hold or sell? And if sell, replace with what? Thank you.

Q: Good morning;

I own the 4 stocks referenced at a 4.5% weight in my portfolio. ILMN was purchased as a turnaround candidate so I wish to keep it. XLV to hedge. UNH I have my initial investment out; it has bounced around quite a bit lately with no clear path but a target +/$75 above current price. May 1st you commented CVS is not one you would add to and it could be a value trap. I've owned it since prior to COVID and missed my opportunity to sell it off.

I want to stay exposed and grow my exposure a bit to the US (and maybe Canadian) health care sector. Other than a very occasional flare of positive results this sector has not been very beneficial to my portfolio other than a bit of modest income. I could part with (in order) CVS, UNH, XLV to build better growth exposure. I would appreciate your top 5 recommended options along with why you would put them on the list.

Thanks very much.

Dave

Q: Can you account for the recent drop in TMO and possibly also for its quick recovery.

Portfolio analytics call for more in my healthcare sector. Do you prefer ETFs or individual companies here?

Please recommend a few of your favourite quality long-term holds for both (more American than Canadian, but both if possible).

Thanks as always.

Q: Please recommend a few health care investments.

Q: Please rank these healthcare stocks in terms of long term growth potential (5-10 years or more): EW, ISRG, IDXX, GEHC, ZTS, ABT, TMO, ATRI, GMED, INMD

Q: My wife and I have accumulated a fair amount of cash in our RRSP we would now like to invest. We have at least 5 years time horizon. We are well represented in Oil, Banks, Tech., financial. We have some reits as well. Not much retail or healthcare. We like growth and dividends and not too concerned about higher weightings in the right industries (we are considering more banks and tech, as well as minerals for batteries). We have about 40K which is about 10% of our portfolio. What would you consider good value right now? It seems many tech stocks are priced very high right now so would you avoid tech at the moment? Can you suggest 5 value stocks? Thanks.

Q: I know pharma stocks like LLY and NVO are hot (and expensive) now due to the success of their GLP-1 drugs but what about the other big pharma stocks like PFE and BMY that have been hammered post-covid and now yield up to 6%? PFE has bounced from $26 to about $28 today but is it too soon? Value traps? Dead money? What is your opinion of when to get in (if ever)? Thanks.