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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, folks
I'm very new to 5i Research, and trying to get myself orientated around.
I have some questions on the balanced portfolio
1) with less capital like $50k, what your recommendations on how to follow this portfolio?
2) when there is a add/remove in the portfolio, how quickly I will be notified?
3) in the report, when you add or trim a position, do you provide at what price to buy or sell?
4) for how long I need to hold the stocks in your portfolio? Do I need to have a stop loss/trailing stop to max my gain and minimize my loss?
5) what is the average holding period for a stock in this portfolio roughly? You can give me a range the longest to the shortest...
6) to initiate to build this portfolio for my own, is it better to wait for the market to pull back? or Do you have a recommendation about when to buy?

By the way, is it ok for me to ask questions about stocks/ETF's outside Canada or large cap's inside/outside Canada (I know you guys are focus on mid to small caps)

Thanks a lot!
Jane
Read Answer Asked by Jane on April 21, 2017
Q: Hello all -

Regarding Hector's T1135 question a couple of days ago, he mentions that he has American stocks with a value of 120K with Canadian Broker.

First I will say I am not an expert on this subject.
It's my understanding though that he would only need to fill out the form if the total actual "cost" (converted to CAD, each at date of purchase) exceeded 100K. Is this not correct?

Secondly, this 100K (again, total cost in CAD) applies to accounts outside RRSP's and TFSA's. So in other words, if his total cost was under 100K outside his registered accounts, yet amounts inside either or both his registered accounts exceeded 100K, he would still not be required to fill out this form. Those amounts are not affected.

Is my understanding (hopefully) correct on this?

Thanks.

Jim
Read Answer Asked by James on April 21, 2017
Q: Team,
My full service brokerage account currently has a cash position of 16% and my broker's position on this is that the account will be positioned for an anticipated market pullback and her thought is then to enter with the cash.
I am retired and live off the income provided by the account. The account is entirely Canadian dividend payers ( total of 23 equity positions) which range from 3% to 7% yields. The portfolio is largely banks/insurance ,pipelines/processors and some telecoms. My thought is to reduce the cash to around 5% and add to existing positions or else add a few defensive positions.
Appreciate your comments on the current position and thoughts as to best way to proceed.
Thx
Read Answer Asked by Peter on April 21, 2017
Q: I am trying to understand how you do things and can only re-visit this topic when my time permits.

I understand there are 11 sectors:
1. Technology
2. Basic Materials
3. Industrials
4. Financials
5. Consumer Cyclicals
6. Consumer Non-cyclicals
7. Utilities
8. Telecommunications
9. Healthcare
10. Energy
11. Real Estate

Would you agree with above?

Keeping this in mind, you have a representative of each sector in the Balanced Portfolio?

Do you feel that a person should have all sectors represented in their portfolio at all times?

Thank you in advance for your help with this.
Read Answer Asked by Margaret on April 21, 2017
Q: I would just like to echo Rod L's response to "complaint re KWH.UN etc". I have been a very happy member since May of 2013. Not everything has gone well, but by roughly following a 5i model (I think diversification, self risk assessment, and time) I have much more than exceeded my investment expectations. I think anyone would be hard pressed to find a better investment service anywhere - and the price is a bargain!!
Read Answer Asked by Jim on April 21, 2017
Q: I feel I have to respond to "dave's " complaint re KWH.UN etc. I have been a member since 2012 plus spent my life in the investment business . I'm now 75 . I challenge Dave to provide me with a comparable service to 5i's for the depth of their research plus the vault of data available - for a very low cost. There is not a service anywhere like it where you can ask - and receive such expert response quickly. My portfolios have benefitted substantially since joining and any little response problems are minuscule. Print if you wish.

Rod

Rod
Read Answer Asked by Rodney on April 20, 2017
Q: Having recently become eligible for the company RRSP matching program, I have a small investment in the Mackenzie Ivy Global Balanced fund.

I am limited in this program to the Mackenzie Funds, so it seems I am stuck with the high MER as a trade off for the company matching.

I have limited experience picking mutual funds and the advisor's picks would have seen me with 55% fixed income at age 35 which I feel is far too conservative given the high MER for this companies funds. As the current value in these funds is insignificant compared with my own funds, I just directed most of the funds to the balanced fund, and skipped the advisors other suggestion with the high bond allocation for the time being.

Is there anything specific I should watch out for when reviewing/selecting funds when my annual meeting with the 'advisor' comes around. If I stay where I am for the long term this will represent the bulk of my RRSP contributions for the foreseeable future.
Read Answer Asked by Jeffrey on April 20, 2017
Q: Can you provide me with a list of ~6 high dividend yield companies 5i would recommend? An assortment of small, medium, and large caps with varying levels of risk and potential for growth for me to consider would be great. I would like to take advantage of the dividend tax credit so these companies would need to have their pay out qualify for that. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Marco on April 19, 2017
Q: Hi guys,

After many years of successful investing, I've finally opted for a 'margin' account. While I don't plan on using the margin excess for further long exposure, I would like to try shorting a name or two (I'll keep the positions small, maybe 2% each for now). Are there any good short candidates that come to mind? I want to avoid the battleground stocks (VRX, HCG), but would love to find something that is just a real dog.

Thanks,
Mike
Read Answer Asked by Michael on April 19, 2017
Q: Regarding Hector's question on T1135 filing on 120K of USD holding.

Just a reminder to be careful when considering "value", the 100K filing requirement is not based on current market value but the cost amount or ACB, it includes cash and only applies to non-registered account, the amount is based on an individual basis, i.e. value in joint account has to be calculated separately.
Read Answer Asked by Steve on April 19, 2017
Q: I am always leery of a company where the insiders do not have any or perhaps very few common shares--Instead they have--options--multiple voting shs--performance share units--subordinate voting shs etc.Common shs mean to me you got some skin in the game--I dont understand all these other classes of shs---TOY is a good example of this.I dont like options thats no commitment at all and hurts the share price.Should I be concerned about these other classes of shares? What do they all mean?
Thanks--I have just had your portfolio review and find it very helpful--would reccommend it to any body.

Peter
Read Answer Asked by peter on April 19, 2017
Q: I have USA stocks with a value of 120K with Canadian Broker.
Do I need to fill out Form T1135 and if yes which box do you think it applies to me.

As per simplified reporting method
I need to check boxes that apply to me
Funds Held outside Canada
Shares of non-resident corporation (other than foreign affiliates)
Indebtedness owed by non-resident
Interest in non-resident trusts.

Thanks for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Hector on April 19, 2017