Investment Q&A

Q: Would appreciate your input regarding Patrick Horan's recommendation to short Enbridge. This is based on it's high debt load and the consequent effect of a rising rate environment. I know it has been repeatedly targeted but if rates do rise do you see a downside?

Q: I would appreciate your comments on the following analysis that may explain recent weakness in the price of it shares.

The majority of investment analysts following Enbridge Inc. rate its stock a buy. But short sellers have a large position in the Calgary-based pipeline operator and natural-gas distributor. Why the divergence?

Enbridge has been on the Toronto Stock Exchange’s “Top 20 Largest Short Positions” table for more than a year. And during the two weeks ended Aug. 31, its short position recorded the largest increase of all the companies on the table, jumping 25 per cent.

Enbridge’s shares also trade on the New York Stock Exchange. There is a short position there, as well (that has increased). Adding the level for Aug. 31 to the Canadian position brings the total to 30.2 million, or 3.5 per cent of shares outstanding.

One of the few analysts to advise selling Enbridge shares is Darryl McCoubrey of Veritas Investment Research Corp. Why the sell advisory? “Specifically, the marked decline in crude oil prices … could undermine Enbridge’s growth profile and investment appeal,” he notes.

Enbridge’s revenue doesn’t depend directly on commodity prices but it does depend on volumes – similar to road toll booths. Mr. McCoubrey thinks the volumes could drop as oil producers shut down wells in response to low prices.

Q: Your report indicates negative 5-year EPS growth of -8.9% for Enbridge. Would this be due primarily to the number of shares issued growing faster than earnings, because of accounting type write-offs or for some other reason? Is this a concern going forward? Thanks.

Q: Hello Chaps,
Anyone asked about Enbridge's 2nd Quarter Report? Your comments please and thank you.
Rick

Q: I have a non stock specific question but Enbridge is a good example. Can you explain how stocks balance out across borders when they trade in different national markets in different currencies. In the case of a stocks like Enbridge for example how do the various markets reconcile say a rising interest rate environment in the U.S. versus a falling or steady interest rate environment in Canada? There is the currency question but there is also some intrinsic different potential reactions to a steady dividend payer in these different rate scenarios. So how does the Mr. Market "know" what to do? If there is any literature you can point me to that would also be much appreciated. Thanks once again.

Q: Today Paul asked a question in which he included the following statement: [Plus I have PPL, ENB and IPL which you consider as utilities; all in very positive territory.]
Could you please confirm that you do in fact consider PPL, ENB and IPL to be utilities? Even if they are, I notice that their price tends to have close correlation to the price of oil.
Thank you.

Q: Can you give me 5 Quality dividend paying names with growth potential for My TFSA account ? Thanx Robbie

Q: We are retired, elderly, and need the dividend income we get from our portfolio as below:

Pipelines, 8.51%: PPL, TRP
Utilities, 12.52%: BEP.UN, EMA, RNW
Telcoms, 9.11%: BCE, T
Banks, 22.47%: BMO, BNS, CM, RY, TD
Reits, 13.38%: CUF.UN, HR.UN, MST.UN, SRU.UN
Industry, 22.81%: BIP.UN, DH, NFI, NWC, PKI
Cash, 11.2%

I would like your opinion on adding one or two steady eddys that pay a decent dividend along with some growth potential. Would FTS and TRI fit our needs, or do you have better suggestions. Thanks, Ted

Q: Would you recommend establishing a full 5% in Enbridge today for someone with no energy, utilities or pipeline exposure or is this something you'd prefer to accumulate more slowly given the potential rising rate environment? Thanks and have a good weekend!

Q: I recently added a position in ENB on the latest price dip. This morning Patrick Horan guest speaker on BNN says that he is shorting ENB. Claims that ENB cannot grow dividend, Interest and High evaluation and that ENB missed earnings.

I would like to hold ENB for the longer term but would not want to go through a major down cycle.

Can you comment overall and address you position on shorting ENB - I would have never looked at ENB as a short...

Thanks Kindly,
Mark

Q: Hi Gang

I presently hold both ENB and FTS for a total of 8.3% of my cash portfolio. I am a dividend investor. I was thinking of adding BIP but wonder if that would be more of the same. I am thinking it would be wiser to get Agrium since I hold (confession time) no materials at this time. Your thoughts?

Q: I currently hold ALA, AQN, ENB, IPL, and KEY. which three would you select for best growth ?

Thank,

Glen

Q: As a guest on BNN, Patrick Horan has been given the opportunity to discuss his short position on Enbridge for a number of months now.

It occurs to me to ask: Is this merely Mr. Horan being permitted to 'talk his book' regardless of any perceived conflict, or is there a genuine concern with Enbridge's valuation and its financial structure as Mr. Horan suggests. Thanks.

Q: in your summary report you list Enbridge as belonging to the Energy sector but you often refer Enbridge as a good Utilities stock so should Enbridge really be under the Utilities sector?

Q: I am debating whether to invest part of my portfolio in ENB or ENF? ENF has had a better return of late and has a higher dividend. Which would you go for? I am looking for a good long term return as well as a good distribution. Tnx.

Q: Hello 5i. Just wondering if you have a thesis for the apparent weakening in Enbridge's stock price. The recent Q4 update seemed OK at a quick glance. Thanks as always for the great advice.

Q: Recent weakness in ENB preferreds is caused not only by the shift of assets to ENF and the common dividend increase, as 5i pointed out, but also a downgrade of the company from stable to negative by Standard and Poors last Nov.22, which you may have missed and caused a significant weakening of the issues in Dec. They state in part "We view Enbridge’s financial risk profile as “significant.” The continuing large capital program to expand existing and build new liquids pipelines will continue to pressure financial metrics for the next several years."

The whole article in prefblog is here http://prefblog.com/?cat=31

Q: Peter, here’s a challenge of sorts for you; I hope you can help. We are about 5 years from retirement. Our RRSPs and TFSAs are topped up, so we’re starting a non-registered account for excess savings. We have no need for income from the account (though, as you’ve said, it’s a good sign when a company initiates or grows a dividend). Can you suggest around 6 or 7 ‘lowish-risk’ stocks for long-term ownership? By this, I don’t mean we’re unduly concerned about volatility or short-to-medium term losses. Rather, we’d like stocks for which you think a loss of more than, say, 25% after 5 years is highly improbable. We are already topped up on banks, energy producers and REITs, but are probably a bit light on IT, Industrials and consumer stocks, amongst others. To add to your challenge, we already have fairly full positions in FSZ, SJ, WPK, ESL and DHX, all of which have done well for us, thanks to you! (ENB, DSG and BIN seem like possible candidates? But we’ll leave the advice to you.) Thanks for the TRULY excellent service and the unbiased guidance you are providing to us smaller individual investors. James

Q: My question is regarding ENB preferreds. It would seem they have all been subject to a sell off. Do you know the reason and is this a buying opportunity? I hold two of the issues and would seriously consider a top up.

Q: The 5 year yield on Canadas is 0.69%. ENB.PR B has dropped from $24.86 to $20.97 since November 17. Do you think now would be a good time to start taking positions in preferreds rather than 5 year GICs @1.25%? Or is an ENB problem causing the decline?
thanks for the ongoing quality replies. I should note that, if today was the 2017 reset, the yield would be 3.09% based on the 240 plus .69