Investment Q&A

Q: Hi, probably a delicate subject but what has happened with the growth portfolio? There are some big wins, but also some big losses. Obviously, not every pick can be golden but do you not have some safeguards on your positions such as technical sell points etc?
The income portfolio is great, but it is hard to have confidence in the growth portfolio at this time to be frank.

Q: I repeat my question. I am an aggressive growth investor and would like to know if these 4 companies fit my profile. Realizing that you do not my portfolio, I would still like you to
forward your favourite 6 or so growth companies. Unless you have a compelling case, I do not invest in resources ( mining, gold, oil/gas ).
FIRAN, EXCHANGE INCOME CORP.,DBOX,TECSYS-TCS
Thanks for your great service and advice.

Klaus Schmidt

Q: Looking to build a small portfolio of energy stocks that are diversified about 6 names that have a good growth potential and are in oil, gas , coal, uranium.

Q: Would you agree this still happens daily?

For well over 100 years there have been stock manipulators, stock operators and stock traders...such as one of the classic and considered the best all time operators, and he did it back in the ~1910 - 1920 era, Jesse Livermore who was more concerned with beating the market, specific stocks & futures, than actually concerned about making $$$ even though he could and did routinely make millions in a year back in say 1920!

They, the "movers" will move a stock - buying or selling some - to get it moving and then once other investors, such as retail investors and institutional investors, take notice and start buying into the stock the "movers" starts selling or close their short for a profit.

This is often all that is happening when a stock moves and there is no news or incident to be found. Most "Investors" want to know why for everything but in reality there is nothing to know other than movers doing their daily business of attempting to make $$$ in the market.

There are so many different interests and money making approaches used from around the world.

Not everything is explainable. Such as why GUD or CSU is rising lately. Note CSU is down today as it just hit a resistance level from before. Kinda predictable I think from a technical perspective.

Have a great day.

Q: Please name a favorite slow and steady value creator for each of the 10 sectors. I noted with interest the comment you made in your updated report on Magna. Thank you.

Q: Regarding historic P/E ratios etc.

http://financials.morningstar.com/valuation/price-ratio.html?t=XTSE:GUD

I don't know how to get to it through the menus. I just change the ticker symbol in the URL.

I hope it helps.

Nick

Q: I assume you get historical PE ratios from Bloomberg. Is there an easy way for me to access this info?

Q: I am considering purchasing a $5000.00 5 year bond paying 5% per annum from Solar Share of Toronto. This bond is RSP eligible. Is this a reasonably safe fixed income investment? I have other blue chip stocks in my RSP. I will not need this money for many years.

Is there a tax efficient way to purchase the bond with existing RSP funds? I would like to avoid withdrawal fees from TD, the bank that holds the RSP.
Thanks, Brenda

Q: Can you please explain "rate reset preferreds" in simple language for us dummies. Having been burned in a preferred share ETF, that I thought was relatively safe, in the past, I'd like to know the risks and advantages.
Thanks, Len

Q: A question about using currency ETFs to play an appreciation or depreciation of the Can. dollar against the U.S. dollar confused me. Would I not do better just holding the currency I thought would be stronger. Doesn't either ETF come with fees I could avoid by just holding the respective currency?

Q: Aritzia ( female fashion) is coming out with an IPO. The price is likely to be in the $15 range. Sadly, my only research comes from my 3 grand daughters who love the products. Can you give any sort of opinion on the company?
Thanks,
Philip

Q: I am sitting on a fair amount of cash I'm a little nervous about deploying until after the correction/election. I was thinking of putting it into mdvn which has about a 65cent increase when Pfizer closes. Do you think this is a safe strategy. When do you think it will close. Are there any safer areas to park money besides money markets

Q: Greetings,

Looking for a group of Canadian companies that pay dividends in US dollars. Do you know of a listing?

Q: Peter and His Wonder Team
This is a question about RSP and RIF accounts. What happens when you sell a stock for profit in these accounts. Do you have to declare the profit immediately on this years tax return? Or do you just pay the tax when you withdraw money from the account... when you must withdraw a certain percentage every year after 65years of age. In other words your profits can just accumulate in the account and taxes are assessed when you withdraw funds out of the account itself?
Dr.Ernest Rivait

Q: I have a balanced million dollar portfolio holding as many as 30 equities at a time. Currently I would like to hold all positions however hesitate to do so because of your stated advice that 20 to 25 holdings is optimal. My question is two parts:
1. Am I correct that that is your position, and if so, why?
2. If I were to liquidate five or more of my positions, which for one reason or another at this time I would like to hold all, how might I decide which to liquidate and which to hold? Thanks for the great service, Daniel

Q: In your latest article in the Financial Post "5 Things To Worry Investors", you mention seeing some stocks jump on earnings releases even though revenue and profit were lower than last year. Which stocks in the Balance equity portfolio would fit this description?

Q: I will have to withdraw RIF funds in fall of 2017. Have approximately 10% of RIF in cash at the moment and am considering the etf VGH. Would like your input as to whether this is a good time to buy or if you have a different suggestion. Also, have telcoms and utilities. Is it time to sell them?
Thanks for your help

Q: I hold ENB,FTS,WSP in my RRSP. Should I keep FTS and/or WSP or diversify into other sectors.
If so which companies would you recommend that have a dividend.

Thank you Peter

Q: Hi team: there is a prediction that it will be a cold winter, it could benefit the above gas stocks which I have in a half position, how would you rank the above in terms of 1)safety and 2) potential upside ? Thanks Micahel
the stocks I have interests are: Altagas, Toumaline, arc energy, peyto and keyera (Ala, Tou, Arx, Pey, Key), thanks team
Michael

Q: Hi,
Could you recommend the best and simplest way to build a well balanced portfolio for a passive long term investor? Would it be etfs? If so could you recommend the ones you think (possibly 3-5)? They would be held in a TFSA and added to annually to maximize tfsa room and DRIPS would be used whenever possible.

Thanks!