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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: Hello! First time question-asker and first-time investor, although I've been researching for about a year.

I'm looking to create a mixed-income portfolio leaning towards risk. This is not a retirement plan, I'm fairly young (under 30) and okay with some risk - looking at a 5 year timeline. The companies I'm considering most closely are above, with guidance from 5i I've landed on these. Question is, can a member of your team gauge the 'health' of this portfolio selection? Would you start with 14 companies, or a smaller number? Do any of the companies above strike you as over-valued at the moment and I should hold off? Would you even consider these selections high risk or relatively safe? Would you dump savings (>10k) into your first time investment with the above selection, or way too risky given the current climate?
Read Answer Asked by Allie on April 24, 2020
Q: I am looking for safe dividends and believe all of these companies meet that criteria (although recognizing that nothing is for sure these days). I would like to buy 2 companies. Which 2 would you pick from this list?
Read Answer Asked by David on April 17, 2020
Q: I wish to buy a defensive utility in a non-reg acct that will qualify for DTC (not sure if ETFs above qualify for DTC). I am aware of different div yields. Is there any significant difference in risks that stand out to you? Plse rank in your order of pref for purchase (already own EMA but would purchase more).
Read Answer Asked by Bob on April 14, 2020
Q: If I am enrolled in a drip, is the stock purchased at a discounted rate or the market price of a stock. I own the listed companies; are any of those are eligible for a discounted drip purchase price? or do you need to buy them directly from the company to qualify for the discount.
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on April 13, 2020
Q: Retired dividend-income investor. I'm sitting on 15% cash that I created by taking profits and harvesting some losses. I have mapped out how to redeploy this cash to hit my asset allocation targets, both by sector as well as by individual holding. I had originally designed the re-entry on spreading the purchases over 6 months. Given that we now have information on different countries indicating that they MIGHT be showing signs of COVID slowly recovering and that the stock market is forward looking, would you adjust the 6 months time frame to 4 months? What's your crystal ball tell you...redeploy a little faster?

Also, the above equities are those that are candidates for topping up. Which would you hit up first?

Thanks for your help...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on April 08, 2020
Q: Hi,

Do you agree that many REITS and utility companies are historically way overvalued considering their lack of growth?
If I was to invest in REITS and utility companies for the next few years, could u pick 2 REITS you like for US and 2 for CDN exposure?
Could you also pick two utility companies you like for US and 2 for CDN exposure?
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on April 08, 2020
Q: I'm looking to take positions in the following sectors. Could you please recommend 2 stocks in each category to hold in a non-registered acct.

-Utilities
-Healthcare
-Real estate

Thanks as always, Dave
Read Answer Asked by David on April 01, 2020
Q: I have the following securities in what I consider a balanced portfolio. The fixed income portion doesn’t show here because it consists of OAS. CCP. Plus two other pensions.
I’m thinking of sell part position in MMX ( small loss);and ARE to realize a capital loss while at the same time raising some cash for the next pullback. I like TFII . We need to keep the food chain moving. Trucking an important part . The other is cargo jet. Am I on the right track . Your opinion. Or would you look elsewhere given the current holdings.
Read Answer Asked by Roy on March 27, 2020
Q: Hi,

I purchased these utility and telecoms largely because of their low beta. In the recent downturn, they fell as much or more than hi growth stocks like SHOP, FB, AMZN or NVDA. AQN was down over 40%?? How do you account for that? Seems to me I'm better off ignoring 'safety' and going for growth?
Read Answer Asked by Graeme on March 25, 2020
Q: If we have yet to reach the worst of the virus threat and if the current question mark regarding the direction the price of oil will take in the future poses a problem, I think we have yet to see the lowest prices for these companies. The question is how much further down their prices can go. If my theory is correct, at what price would you take an initial position in these companies?
Read Answer Asked by Les on March 25, 2020
Q: I am a buy and hold investor with 5 to 10 years of time horizon.
Have the following 7 stocks in Canadian Utilities in the order of their weights in our portfolio. Utilities makeup roughly 8.5% of the total portfolio including cash positions and like their dividend. FTS, TRP,EMA, AQN, ENB, BEP-UN, BIP-UN. I like to reduce exposure to utilities and also like to reduce number of different shares. Two questions:
1. Is 8.5% a reasonable weight considering the current situation?
2. Which one of these I should sell to reduce utilities weight and to reduce the number of shares in utilities?
Read Answer Asked by Naren on March 23, 2020
Q: Good afternoon.

I’m interested in which you prefer (1 and 2) in each category below.

ATD.B, PBH, MRU, L

SLF, TD, BAM.A, TRI

WSP, SIS, CAE

CSU, SHOP, ENGH, KXS

BEP.UN, FTS, AQN

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Alan on March 19, 2020
Q: Hello,

When I look at Canadian stocks traded on the US exchanges, why is there a yield and p/e discrepancy? Even after factoring the exchange, the Canadian stocks on US exchanges look much cheaper. Why is this? And should we be choosing the US exchange due to higher yield and lower pe?
Read Answer Asked by James on March 18, 2020
Q: Hi, if I was going to buy one or two utility companies and one or two REITs for reasonable income, growth and safety, which ones would you recommend? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Amin on March 18, 2020