Investment Q&A

Q: The US authorities disapproved the Kentucky deal. Wasn’t it a good thing for the company stock given that the market hadn’t liked it in the first place? However, the stock is down today. Can you explain the reaction?

Thanks,

Q: This is my selection of stocks for steady revenue (and secondarily potential growth) .Since a serious economic crisis is not excluded in my opinion ,I now plan to : 1) only keep Cies at low risk to become out of business and that should maintain dividends, based on their history and financial strength , and to : 2) sell the other stocks to buy ETF instead..

Wich stocks can be "relatively safely" kept at long term for this purpose ?

Q: In Investment (non-registered) accounts these 5 stocks are all 'under-water'. I am considering selling for 'tax loss' purposes and would appreciate your thoughts. Is this a useful approach? Are there any that merit re-purchase following 30 days 'waiting period'?

Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and 5i Team,

More comments, a question, and a link regarding Algonquin and some historical relevance!

AQN was held in my wife's RRIF and daughter-in-law's RRSP. My feeling is that AQN will be in the 'penalty box' for quite some time, and the share price will settle around $10.00 or less. Since they're both conservative investors, I switched them to Fortis FTS, which they already held in their respective accounts. It was an easy decision. Do you agree with the thinking here?

AQN was also held in our son's TFSA, but he needed the funds recently for a house purchase. I was fortunate to sell it at around $16.00.

I didn't act soon enough with the two other accounts holding AQN for several reasons. Living in Oakville, where AQN's headquarters is located, resulted in "home town bias" - a mistake in retrospect, because I never felt comfortable with its acquisition of Kentucky Power. It was too expensive, and too much debt was taken on by Algonquin.

Finally, here's a link from 'Seeking Alpha' which outlines the fate that AQN may face when compared to a similar ill-fated and debt-ridden mistake made by AltaGas when they bought WGN. It's taken them a long time to correct their mistake, and I suspect that AQN's mistake will have similar consequences.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4563884-altagas-vs-algonquin-discounted-utilities-with-ominous-similarities?mailingid=29958270&messageid=must_reads&serial=29958270.150190&utm_campaign=Must%2BReads%2BDecember%2B12%2C%2B2022&utm_content=seeking_alpha&utm_medium=email&utm_source=seeking_alpha&utm_term=must_reads

Thanks for your continued guidance!

Q: Hi 5i,

Further to Dennis's question on the 21%, the comments may pertain to how much of AQN's debt is floating and not the rate they are paying.

Just a thought!

Q: These are my holding inside my TFSA. I am 25 years old and would like to know your opinion on this Portfolio and if you think these are good longterm holdings or if they could be replaced with a better investment (please indicate what company you would replace with). Also witch companies would you consider a Buy in 2023 from these holdings for my 6,500$ contribution room.

Thanks

Q: Just a follow up to Dennis's question regarding yield on AQN. Is it possible that the current yield on some of it has reached the level he mentions based on the market price of the debt instrument? If so would that indicate that the debt market expects trouble here?

Thanks

Q: AQN's dividend is now 10%. There is a lot of talk that AQN will cut its dividend to be in-line with its peers. That would be around a 50% dividend cut. [In the past you have said many times that the first dividend cut is never the last.]

I have seen it mentioned here and elsewhere that during the financial crisis Manulife Financial cut its dividend, and it appears investors from that time have never forgotten that, or forgiven them for it. By the way what was the dividend cut they made? Was it only 1 cut, or was it several cuts?

Do you think that if AQN cuts its dividend, the stock will languish for a very long time as investors (like me) will not forget, and will never forgive?

Has AQN ever cut its dividend before? If yes, what were the cuts and when?

Are there other high profile examples of dividend cuts (excluding energy stocks in 2020) where the company has been penalized for doing that for a very long time?

Q: Hi Peter and Staff

I know you cannot believe everything you read or hear. I hear a commentator say last week that the company had floating debt that had risen to 21%. Is this true? I know rates have gone up by some 4% by that would still mean they were paying rather ridiculous floating rates for a public company?

IF not true perhaps you could shed some light on what they are inflicted with as far as floating rate debt and terms?

Thanks for all you do
Dennis

Q: I am planning to sell these stocks for tax loss purposes. Can you suggest a proxy for each? I was thinking FTS for AQN, and possibly not buy it back, and perhaps not buying back OTEX either. Others planning to buy back after the 30 days. Your thoughts on whether or not buying back OTEX and AQN a good idea also appreciated.

thanks,

Q: Looking to sell either SYZ or AQN for a tax loss (will still retain SYZ and AQN in registered accounts). SYZ in an unknown, so I am thinking it may be the better one to get sell. AQN will still pay some kind of dividend and is more likely to improve with time. Would appreciate your comments.

Q: Dear 5i,
Thanks for being such a wealth of objective information and happy holidays!
There has been recent insider buying at AQN at the much lower price. Can you please provide your opinion on whether the executives have "real" skin in the game. Some of them seem to have significant options available but do these give insiders a lot of incentive? If the company announced a 50% dividend cut do you think the stock price would go up or down?

Q: AQN was cut today from RBC top energy picks. Part of the reason is they feel the dividend will be cut because the payout ratio will exceed 100% in 2022 and 2023. In an earlier post you mentioned they have more than enough cash flow to cover their dividend (From that I concluded their payout ratio was well below 100%). Some financial writers have used earning when calculating the ratio, which is inaccurate, Is RBC doing the same? Find it hard to believe they would make that mistake. In your opinion is the ratio (at least for now) below 100%?

Q: hi,
I am down 45% on this, large $$ loss. I think I should sell and get the tax loss. can I get a few suggestions for dividend stock with growth, paying over 4.5%, and good survival chances if markets go south again ( or economy ). Canadian names only please. and does not need to be sector specific. cheers

Q: Retired, dividend-income investor. I own AQN and TRP for the very long term. I started buying AQN at $5.60 way back and I have trimmed for asset allocation targets on the way up.

I have cash available to add to both of these positions. When I look at the technicals, it looks to my amateur eyes that $49 and $56 respectively look to be good re-entry positions. Would you agree that adding is appropriate and at what levels would you add? Thanks...Steve

Q: Do you see any other utility stocks at risk of the same fate as AQN?

Thanks.

Q: Could you elaborate on your response to Tim saying you are comfortable in replacing AQN with either CPX or FTS in terms of the total dividend income under each option. Do you think that AQN's dividend is at such risk that it is the best option today to move out of AQN and take a lower dollar amount of dividends.
Thank you.

Q: I'm down 40% on AQN, and thinking of selling what would be a good replacement in the same sector and dividend yield.

Q: Hello 5i
Could you provide an indication as to buyhold/sell - all are current holdings but some due to declines have reduced to < 1% . I'm looking to rebalance overall and these need addressing with possibly topping up, selling or doing nothing ... ignore sector weights please. Already held for some time and any that I decide will remain will be held for the long term
Thanks

Q: Is this a good entry spot/time to buy AQN? and your comments please.