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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: I found your response to Leonard’s question regarding which accounts international ETFs are best placed quite interesting. I hold large positions in both VE and VEE in a registered account. If I understand your response it means that I am paying a withholding tax twice (on US and International side) with no recourse to claim it back. If staying within a registered account, what two ETF would you recommend to replace VE and VEE for better tax efficiency? Would you endorse immediately switching and would there be any drawbacks to making such a switch?
Read Answer Asked by Steven on November 12, 2019
Q: As always, would appreciate your analysis of their latest results which were released this morning.

MONTREAL, Nov. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xebec Adsorption Inc. (TSXV: XBC) ("Xebec"), a global provider of clean energy solutions announced today its 2019 third quarter and nine-month periods results, with the following highlights:

Record revenues of $13.2 million in the third quarter of 2019 compared to $5.6 million for the same period in 2018, a 136% increase.

Positive EBITDA at $1.5 million for the third quarter 2019 compared to $0.1 million for the same period in 2018.

Net profit of $1.0 million or $0.02/share for the third quarter 2019, compared to a net loss of ($0.4) million or ($0.01)/share for the same period in 2018.

Working capital increased to $19.0 million as of September 30, 2019, for a current ratio of 2.3:1 compared with working capital of $5.2 million and a 1.6:1 ratio on December 31, 2018.
Read Answer Asked by karl on November 12, 2019
Q: Hi 5i Team,
If you were starting a TFSA and only had 30K would you select 6-10 individual stocks or would it be better to start with an ETF (was thinking XBAL) to start. My daughter doesn't want a lot of work tracking or watching stocks and doesn't want to incur a lot of trading costs. Would you suggest another ETF to start with or go with XBAL, keeping in mind that new money will be flowing into the account to the maximum in the next couple of years. Capital preservation is a consideration but she has a 10 year time frame to work with. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Rudy on November 12, 2019
Q: 5I, hello again
thanks much for your excellent program.
You have answered questions on holding of int’l exposure before but my head hurts from trying to reconsider how to best arrange my holdings.
I presently have: VEE (@ 1.43% portfolio weight); XEC (1.40%); and ZEM (1.81%). VEE is in a cash account and the other 2 are in RRSP .

To improve performance by trying to get the best tax efficiency, I have started to think about having all the funds for this part of the portfolio just in ZEM, to be held in a cash account. I pay taxes and any withholding tax with be creditable.

Questions:
1. Is ZEM best held in a cash account or an RRSP?
2. ZEM is a large ETF...is having just the one still sufficiently diversified? And is ZEM sufficiently liquid?
3. If your thought is to continue to still hold some VEE, should it best be held in a cash account or an RRSP? Same question for XEC?

Please deduct question credits as may apply.
Once again, thanks for your excellent program
Read Answer Asked by Leonard on November 12, 2019
Q: Hello 5i Team
1 - Please update CSW.A after last week's quarterly results.
2 - From the MD&A, Pernot Ricard owns 51.6 % of the class A (CSW.A).
Are there any other significant (>10%) shareholders of the Class A (CSW.A)?
Are there any significant holders of the Class B (CSW.B)?
3 - Could you speculate on whether Pernot Ricard would eventually take over CSW or is there an obscure provision in the Class B shares prohibiting this?
Thanks for the great service.
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on November 12, 2019
Q: What would be a good company to buy shares in for a teenager for his first investment? It was mentioned before that it increases interest in investing if the teen knows about the company. I was thinking of Costco, Disney, Mcdonalds?
Would you be able to provide a top 3-4 names in Canada and 3-4 in the US as suggestions? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Marco on November 12, 2019
Q: A JPM analyst made the comments below in an article I read. 5i has also noted this rotation to date. Do you agree with the below and could you list 6-8 stocks in both the US and Canada that would benefit most?
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The massive rotation into value stocks that rocked investors two months ago is going to extend into 2020, according to J.P. Morgan’s quant guru Marko Kolanovic.

The quant, whose reports have moved markets in the past, predicted rotation, going so far as to call it a “once in a decade” trade.

Value names staged a comeback in September after years of underperformance as investors bet on economically sensitive, cheap stocks on hopes for a U.S.-China trade deal. The strategist believes the rotation has more room to run on the back of the improving macro environment.
Read Answer Asked by Tim on November 12, 2019
Q: In light that SWP is near a 3yr high & appears to be breaking out ,plus new plant is nearing completion & going into production expected by year end,is it time to start a position.Thanks for u usual great services & views, Ryan,you were great on BNN(former manager @ a famous firm PH in Van which was partly owned by ex-Vancouver Mayor,Art Phillips(since acquired by Royal Bank)
Read Answer Asked by Peter on November 12, 2019