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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: Retired, dividend-income investor, with a reasonably diversified portfolio. I remember a question a while back (months, maybe even > a year?) about asset allocation, but I can't find it even after a lengthy search.

It had to do with how many stocks-ETFs, MFs one needed for a reasonably diversified portfolio, but in the context of the size of the portfolio as it grew over time.

For example, I hold 2 legacy dividend-income MFs (10% of portfolio), 7 ETFs (40%), 15 stocks (50%), ignoring the fixed income portion of my portfolio => a total of 24 equity positions. I am a firm believer in a concentrated portfolio and vary my allocation to meet my targeted allocations both by sector and security (allowing for my definition of comfort level or risk).

Your answer to the earlier question was that as one's portfolio grew over time, one might consider increasing the number of equity positions. I can't remember where the rough breakpoints were that one should consider adding additional positions.

Q#1 = acknowledging that you can't provide personal guidance, would the current asset allocation be suitable for a total portfolio of approximately $1-2 million?

Q#2 = roughly where should a person consider increasing their # positions? $3 million....$4MM?

Thanks for your help...much appreciated...Steve

Read Answer Asked by Stephen on January 11, 2022
Q: Hi,

I know sometime ago there was an article about "asset location" by you or a guest writer either here or in CMS? Can you direct me to the appropriate link?
There was some "confusion" amongst the members of our investment group which stocks/ETFs are best held is what account!! TFSA/RRSP/Non Registered/ RESP etc.,
The most tax efficient way one can allocate the stocks/ETFs.

Much appreciated.
Mano
Read Answer Asked by Savalai on January 11, 2022
Q: you stated that PINS is looking very attractive right now.Why do you think this is?How is their balance sheet?
Which companies would you think could take them out?
Would you be a buyer here?
Please give me some compelling reasons.
Any companies you prefer better in the US tech sector?
Read Answer Asked by Josh on January 11, 2022
Q: Hi, sent this question to i5Research on Jan 09 & as of yet have not received an answer. Am wondering if it got lost in the queue. Does 5iResearch think now is a good time to invest in copper? What would you recommend as a better investment, a copper mining company or a copper processing company? In each of those categories what two or three companies would you recommend. Thanks … Cal
Read Answer Asked by cal on January 11, 2022
Q: Hi, I was planning to buy floating rates preferred shares to profit from future rates increases. Many preferred reset shares have a floating rate counterpart. At reset, the 3months floating rate shares may, under some conditions, be converted to the 5-years fixed reset and vice versa. Sometimes the floating shares are forced to convert if the float is too small. (Example : Enb.pb and Enb.pc which have a reset date in May 2022). First question: In general can a company redeem only one and not both « linked » shares. Can they redeem the floating shares any time or only at the fixed reset date?.

For strategy, would you choose a cheap low coupon floating share (some lower than 1.5%), giving up on a higher short-term yield, but with more leverage when rates increase, thus good capital gain. In this case, would a 2 years time frame be a good one or too short? Or would you choose a higher coupon (many between 2-3%) and a longer time frame?

All rate-reset preferred shares I hold had already a nice move in 2021, I do not think there is much to be gained right now. Many are being redeemed. The banks’preferred will disappear in the next years and are priced accordingly, too expansive. That’s why I’m interested in floating-rate shares. Some perpetual preferred (BCE, BAM, ..) have floating rates linked to the prime rate, also very successful in 2021. Easier to bet on ? (I own already BCE.pr.b and BCE.pr.d)

Best Wishes for 2022 to the team.
Read Answer Asked by Denise on January 11, 2022
Q: I am trying to understand bond diversification better. I have a long term portfolio of mostly equity exposures and some XBB. Do you generally recommend further diversifying bond holdings? Eg to an inflation protected fund or more global exposure or specific maturity profile (eg shorter maturities)? If so could you recommend ETFs for diversification purposes?

I don’t want to over complicate things but also want diversification to different market scenarios in the spirit of an « all weather » portfolio. In particular real return bonds seem useful for this compared to XBB. I would be grateful for your thoughts. Thank you very much.
Read Answer Asked by Chris on January 11, 2022
Q: Just did a revue of my PORTFOLIO ANALYTICS and have a couple of questions as follows:
Under Fixed Income Defensive I have CBO, VGG & ZDI in my TFSA. Are these okay here or can be added to or any deleted?
Under International Allocations I have VXC, XAW, XEF, VEU & XWD in the TFSA. Are these okay as they are or shoud I be considering some changes?
Best wishes for the New Year and thanks for your great service!
Read Answer Asked by Terry on January 11, 2022
Q: If you would like to do a short term trade with a long position are calls a better option than purchasing the stock?
Read Answer Asked by mike on January 11, 2022
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