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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: Can you enlighten me on this one: “a blank cheque company”. I have bought a few stocks over the years that made me feel like i signed a blank cheque ... but never one that actually declared itself to be a blank cheque company.

BFT hasn’t started business, no revenue, seemingly owns nothing. So what is it? Is there anything here to justify putting a bit of mad money into this non-entity?

Thanks for your help; and please add me to the long list of appreciative and happy 5i’ers wishing you and all the 5i team the best of all life has to offer now and in the years ahead. Merry Christmas 5i.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on December 18, 2020
Q: Seems there is a trend or investment opportunity to buy shares in small Canadian companies that are then acquired by US companies. What comes to mind are JPMorgan acquiring Solium Capital and Goldman Sachs putting in an offer for all of People. What other such small Canadian companies are liking to "suffer" this acquisition fate?.....Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on December 18, 2020
Q: Well, Air Canada's all time high was about 50 loonies per share. But now with the recent dilution of existing shareholders, I estimate the revised high will be about $45, adjusted for the dilution, Seems like a floor is forming under AC shares at about $23.60. What say you, aka your guess, and what with all the uncertainty that there is, about will this floor hold? And also what is the long-term guess-estimate target price in 12 months or longer?......Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on December 18, 2020
Q: I usually aim to invest 60% in Canada, 30% in the US and 10% outside North America. With US markets quite high again, is there more opportunity internationally and is a heavier weighting in that direction warranted?
Read Answer Asked by Alan on December 18, 2020
Q: Hi folks, can get your opinion of the merger between Aphria & TIlray. Aphria paid a 23% premium to hook up with tilray, to become the largest POT company. Investment community & analysts don't seem to like the deal...but I think Irwin Simon is the right person to run the new company, and has the brains/experience to make the new company successful & profitable. Can I please get your thoughts on the merger, and the future of the "new" Tilray. Thanks & Joyeux Noel, jb, Piedmont QC
Read Answer Asked by John on December 18, 2020
Q: I like companies that are based on a subscription model. With recurring revenues and growth "banking" on acquiring new customers, it would appear to be a path towards increased profitability and less risk. Aside from the obvious candidates, Netflix, Adobe, Crowdstrike, Microsoft and even Disney, can you identify a few companies in the US and in Canada that receive their revenue largely on subscriptions, that are not mega corporations already but exhibit strong growth.
Read Answer Asked by mitchell on December 18, 2020
Q: Hi,
What is your general opinion of investing in segregated funds? I understand that there are some great benefits for estate planning purposes as you get older, i.e. bypassing probate/estate fees, quick transfer of funds to beneficiaries, guaranteed death benefit, etc... but are the high MER fees (>2%) really worth it? I was helping my mom who is retired look into some of her investments in her TFSA and her advisor has her in invested in these two Manulife products, MPS4959 and MPS4980. Thoughts on these two funds? Do these two funds pay dividends or have a distribution yield? Could not find it.
Aside from the benefits I mentioned above where you only get with Seg funds, and looking at just the pure investment return/structure of the funds, could you suggest 4-5 other attractive ETF's that she could invest in that would outperform these over the next 10-20 years? I would like to switch her into some low cost ETF's or an all in one fund that are either comparable(balanced fund) or better than these two expensive products. She is close to 70, won't need to draw any of this money to live on (she has other sources of income) and looking for some steady and stable growth assuming life expectancy for another 15-25 years. Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on December 18, 2020
Q: I have a margin account at TD. I receive 50% margin on CNQ, GSY AND SJ. On SIS, a much smaller company I receive 70% margin. This does not make sense. Could you explain how trading companies like TD determine margin?
Read Answer Asked by Robert on December 18, 2020
Q: If a member asks a multi part question & then states the number of credits that you should take, does that have any bearing on the number of credits taken? Please take one credit!
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on December 18, 2020
Q: REALLY ? This company has increased in value six fold this year to a market capitalization of over $ 600 billion , roughly the value of the next 7 largest car makers combined ! The stock has gone from $70.00 to $625.00 this year. Yes, Elon Musk is one smart visionary, but this sure looks like a bubble. What do you think of the company and would you buy the stock? Thanks Derek
Read Answer Asked by Derek on December 17, 2020
Q: Goodmorning 5i,
Best of the season to you all. And I concur with previous writers who have lauded your advice. I have profited as a result of your expertise and generosity in sharing it, as well. My question has to do with options. I believe that you sell call options. In his book, "Money for Nothing", I believe Derek Foster said that he only sells puts, as he doesn't want to have the stocks he bought at low prices, because of put options, called away. I have been selling call options and note that they are not often called away. And sometimes when they are, I do a simple calculation to see whether I would be better to buy them back, if I think they are going to continue rising. I have worried from time to time, though, about being called away. Especially when there are high capital gains in a non registered account. I suspect you also have higher capital gains possible on many of the stocks you sell call options on, as well. I was wondering what your take is on this question.=?
Read Answer Asked by joseph on December 17, 2020
Q: Please comment on that news:
Synopsys Unveils $250 Million Accelerated Stock Buyback Deal
09:34 AM EST, 12/16/2020 (MT Newswires) -- Synopsys (SNPS) said pre-market Wednesday that it has signed an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Mizuho Markets Americas to buy back $250 million of its shares.

Under the agreement, the software maker said it will get an initial share delivery of 824,000 shares, with the remainder, if any, to be settled by April 9.

How does that compare to other buy back program and how does it places this company among others in the same sector.

Thanks and good Holiday to all.

Stay safe
Read Answer Asked by Jean on December 17, 2020
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