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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: I own some Suncor (about 1% of my total investment portfolio). I also have ENB, TRP, and WCP in the sector at about the same level. After reading the SU CEO's comments of yesterday about putting some of the company's pile of cash into play, either by giving some back to the shareholders, or making acquisitions, I am thinking that now might be a good time to double my holding in SU. What do you think?
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Bryan on September 10, 2015
Q: In a recent question asked by Hanna about several oil and gas companies, you suggested that Suncor was among your least favourites in the sector. I was surprised by this as many analysts seem to be suggesting that Suncor, with its different divisions, including the profitable refining area and its solid management of its capital, are in a better position than most to survive the next couple of years.

Could you expand a bit on why you are less than enthalled with Suncor?

Thanks for the insight.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on August 18, 2015
Q: I currently own SU as well TRP and ENB. I have held ENB for many years and the capital gain on this stock is quite high. I am slowly selling some shares each years to bring the weight down but I wonder if I really need to hold SU since I do own TRP as well. Which stock would you keep SU or TRP or should I sell both SU and TRP? I am slowly trying to make my portfolio more diversified.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked on May 19, 2015
Q: As a long-term holder, energy making up about 10% of overall equity portfolio, heavily weighted towards the blue-chip oil companies, does one hold on and wait out the turmoil that is potentially going to occur over the next 5 years of the new mandate, or bite the bullet and deal with the bloodbath that is possibly going to occur at the open, and into the next few trading days?

It would feel very wrong to sell, but this - to me - seems to be a fundamental shift within the industry in Canada, and that in and of itself could be a reason to question a long-term position. If you could share your thoughts, please...
Read Answer Asked by Warren on May 06, 2015
Q: Hi Peter,

Do you personally use technical indicators to inform your buy or sell decisions? If so, which ones are you looking at most? Scott Barlow at the Globe and mail often summarizes the trading week looking at RSI levels for equities. If you don't use technicals, what are you using to inform your buy and sell decisions? Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by mark on April 14, 2015
Q: I'm looking to assemble a portfolio of quality O&G companies that will do very well once the market turns, I only have room for 3 positions from an existing list of 7. Could you help me narrow it down? feel free to add additional options if you see an opportunity.
SU,WCP,TOU,CNQ,RRX,APA,SGY
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Robert on January 16, 2015
Q: Hi Peter,

What are my rights, if any, to ask and expect honest answer from a company where I am a shareholder? For example, am I permitted to call a person in charge of investor relations of a corporation and ask specific questions about their balance sheet or strategy or lack thereof? If I'm not satisfied with the answers in that I am rebuffed, do I have an avenue to seek assistance from a regulatory agency to discuss my experience and hence improve transparency. Thank you for your time.
Read Answer Asked by mark on January 12, 2015
Q: Hi folks,
I'm asking you to think about a bottom in oil and how this will all play out. If you put aside the gripping fear for a moment around the oil "crash", calmer heads suggest these sort of events have happened before in history many times and we have a good idea how it plays out. Peter called it by saying dividend cuts and reigning in cap ex would occur. Where do we go from here? Insolvencies? Do you think when Buffet throws one of these oil majors a hefty lifeline that were close to a bottom? Remember when he bailed out GE at $3/sh or did the same to GS at $75 share. Thanks for your thoughts.
Read Answer Asked by mark on December 12, 2014
Q: I am the poster boy for what NOT TO DO in building a portfolio . 25% of my holdings are in energy stocks ( ALA , CPG, ECA , HSE, PGF, SGY ,PPY ,TOU, WCP , SU , VET, as well as PSK, and FRU ) and probably some others. Yesterday I sold RIG at an enormous loss . I see today will be another lousy day and I am already way down on every stock I own in the oil patch ... Question : Might this carnage continue for a year or more ?... If so, which names do you suggest that I dump ? : I am 64 and retired and live off dividend income... thanks so much.
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on November 27, 2014
Q: After riding 500 shares of Suncor all the way to $47 and then back down again to my break even point ( very frustrating) it must be getting close to buy again? Do they have huge problems in the oil sands or is it all market related? Should I switch to gold stocks. I have often heard that when oil goes down gold starts to move ie that oil and gold move in opposite directions.
Read Answer Asked by Helen on October 15, 2014
Q: I have about 21% of our portfolio in oil with full positions in HSE,BTE,CPG,WCP,SU and a half position in SGY. Today's paper had a column in the business section disparaging the oil sands. So I am considering selling SU, increasing SGY to a full position and adding one more oil. We rely on dividends for 50% of our income, so - 1. What is your opinion of SU? 2. If I do sell SU, can you recommend another decent energy stock.
Read Answer Asked by Edward on August 18, 2014
Q: Hello 5i,
My question has to do with two companies that you have mentionned in question and answer. Suncor and IBM. You don't seem very positive towards either company. I suppose we are all under the mystique of someone like Warren Buffet and I have to say that it puzzles me that Mr. Buffet has chosen these two companies in a portfolio that does not have a lot of names. We would appreciate your take on that. Also, would you sell Suncor and buy something like Surge Energy in the current context?
thanks
Read Answer Asked by joseph on April 03, 2014