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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: Hi Peter and team,
One of the first companies I ever bought when I started investing 7 years ago was Canadian Oil Sands - now with oil hitting $100 I'm thinking about selling it for something with more growth. I want something that pays a decent, rising dividend. I'm leaning towards adding to my ESL, HCG or starting a position in CGX.

I currently own AD, AP.UN, AX.UN, BNP, BNS, BEP.UN, BIP.UN, CNR, COS, CSU, CFN, EIF, ESL, HCG, IPL.UN, KMP, PEY, RY, TD, THI, TOT and Telus all about equal weight. My 2 dogs are Penn West and Longview that I hope to clean up over the year.

Thank you for your valuable service!!
Brent
Read Answer Asked by Brent on July 03, 2013
Q: Hi Peter and 5i: Can you please explain the difference between "Floating Shares" and "Shares Outstanding" and the potential significance of it for an investor looking at a stock. I've noticed the difference is sometimes quite large. For example with Enghouse (ESL), FS is 17.5 million but SO is nearly 26 million, according to my discount broker's site. Maybe not a lot of shares in absolute numbers relative to some companies but proportionally it seems like a lot. Thanks, as always.
Read Answer Asked by Lance on April 26, 2013
Q: ESL just reported first quarter results. This line was included:

Operating expenses increased to $23.0 from $14.9 million in the prior year's first quarter and include incremental operating costs related to acquisitions as well as special charges related to restructuring of acquired operations. Non-cash amortization charges in the quarter were $3.6 million and include amortization charges for acquired software and customer relationships from acquired operations.

Buffett refers to these in his recent letter saying some are not real and it makes sense for the investor to adjust for them. Do you agree? Is this what the company is doing when they show adjusted EBITDA?
Read Answer Asked by mike on March 05, 2013