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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: A member question regarding "Forever" stocks prompted me to backtest to 1999 a 30 stock portfolio (20 Canadian, 10 USA) that, even then, probably looked like "Forevers". I used the Globe Investor Gold service for this purpose.

This "Forever Portfolio" started at $1.3M and today is worth $10.2M - not a bad endorsement of buy and hold.

2 Questions:
1. I could not find stock symbols for a number of companies, such as Apple, Google, CP
or Constellation Software and Cineplex. Can you recommend a source that could help
in this regard?

2. A few companies seemed to have surprisingly low total returns over this 17 year period - namely BCE flat; FFH -10%; AT&T -2%; KO-N 22%; GE -8%, and VZ-N -8%.
Does this seem reasonable to you or might there be glitch in the system that produced inaccurate total results for these stocks.

Thank you for your help here.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on November 21, 2016
Q: Between BCE and T, which would be your pick for growth and income, in that order? If I added CGX to the mix (recognizing it is in a different sector), where would it fit in with the other two? Please also include some rationale for your answer.
Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by grant on November 21, 2016
Q: Hi Peter,
Reits, Telecoms and Utilities have not been participating in the market rallies for a while now. Just wondering when you think that the yields on these types of stocks will start to hold up the stock prices. (a few of mine are starting to get come nice yields on them now.

Thank you,
Charlie
Read Answer Asked by CHARLES LA on November 10, 2016
Q: Greetings Peter et all,
I am in need of your astute assistance.
Scenario:
A 58 year old with failing health. (10-15 years?)
With approx 600K to deploy...I require approx 4K tax free from dividend and stock appreciation to maintain a life.
Need appropriately safe investments to achieve above.

Small, safe, manageable, tax friendly.

Two example vehicles would be very much appreciated thank-you

Be well my friends
Read Answer Asked by Alex on November 09, 2016
Q: In an Investment Brief from ARC they outline their concerns regarding BCE and its' payout ratio. Specifically they feel that if the Special Annual Pension Contribution and M+A expenses were deducted from Free Cash Flow then the payout ratio would be in the 84%-88% range (rather than the stated 69%-72% range). This may limit the ability to continue to grow dividends.

Should this be something to be concerned about? It is currently about a 2.5% weighting in my portfolio. If I were to exit BCE, either partially or completely, would Telus be the only real alternative in the space?

Thanks for your wonderful service.
Read Answer Asked by Brian on November 08, 2016
Q: Hello,

The following 5 companies are on my buy list to complete my portfolio:

PBH
TOY
NFI
BCE
CAR.UN

I have room for two in my TFSA, two in my non-registered and one in my RRSP. How should I divide the above 5 stocks into these accounts?

My plan is to buy on pullbacks. But I'm thinking about buying CAR.UN now because it has already pulled back on the mortgage news. Does this make sense?
Read Answer Asked by Carla on October 11, 2016
Q: In view of the effect on the market of the unknowns coming up in the next few months - with US election and its aftermath, and good possibility of US bankrate going up in Dec. I am thinking of going defensive. I have quite a few of the stocks listed in both your Balanced and Income portfolios, could you please list for me which of these stocks you would designate as best 'defensive' - (whatever that means). Thanks again, always look forward to hearing your comments.
Read Answer Asked by Arthur on September 26, 2016
Q: What does it mean when a company like BCE files for debt shelf of up to $4 bln. Does it affect in negative or positive way price of company stock on the market.

Is it OK to by BCE now or is better to wait for market response to this
news about BCE.

Andrew.B
Read Answer Asked by Andrzej on September 14, 2016
Q: What are the US and Canadian companies, that have what they call a wide Moat? What would be your definition and criteria of wide Moat companies?
Read Answer Asked by Herbert on September 13, 2016
Q: Hi,
I am retired and 63 years old.
I have 50K in ALTAMIRA HIGH-INTEREST CASHPERFORMER - F
NBC200 in my RSSP waiting to be deployed. I will not need that money for the next ten years. I told my broker that this investment was not even keeping up with inflation.
He suggested to buy CUF.un (20000$) and PWF (30000$).
Would you think of better alternatives?
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Serge on September 13, 2016
Q: Can you provide an updated assessment on SunLife (SLF)given recent results? I am looking to invest new money in blue chip dividend payor for son's TFSA account and also considering telcom (BCE) as an alternative. Should I go with SLF for now given the recent run up in BCE stock price? Thanks again. John C
Read Answer Asked by john on August 11, 2016