skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: While working at buying into 5i investment methodology - invest long enough to see profits grow and stock prices to follow - I find my 5i sourced holdings negatively hitting my portfolio value.

I have to ask, what is the role of 5i and its methodology in preserving capital and/or helping to avoid investment losses?

In reading 5i answers, it is often noted that stocks need 5 years yet I am starting to see this as a way to avoid sell recommendations.
I read from you, HR is a good investment for income so I hold with a profit only to now see a price decline and profits change to losses.
I read from you, CGX was sold from 5i portfolio "but does not need to be sold". Now we are down substantially.

When you write, a stock is expensive, the stock is already up +% in the year, should this be taken that even though you write you are okay with a buy, a smart investor will not purchase as this time - decline is likely. Many of the stocks I have purchased with positive inference from 5i, are now down 20% (sometimes in one day).

I write this as I must determine where 5i fits in investment efforts. My 5i Stock losses have mounted through the past couple months. I need to find a way to interpret when 5i sentiment toward a stock really changes and not wait until the stock is slowly backed away from by 5i.

So, how does one differentiate between, a good Buy recommendation and 5i being positive on a stock but there is a great likelihood the stock price will decline? I am not please with reading positive remarks only to see investment profits disappear or losing 20% within days of a purchase.

Is there something in your words that should be interpreted to help me protect my gains and Capital and/or avoid losses within days of buying a recommended investment?

Thanks
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on August 16, 2017
Q: Good Morning: I am thinking of increasing my position in ZWH and have been reading your responses to past questions on this etf. You note that approx. 50% of the dividend is in US dollars and therefore is susceptible to the US govt. withholding tax (in a non-registered account which is where I would be buying it). However, I assume that this amount would be recovered at tax time since that is the normal process for withholding tax on US dividends. I want to buy this fund with Cdn. dollars because the Cdn. dolar is up recently and it seems to be like buying US equities at a reduced rate. Am I correct in both these regards?
In the same vein, do most brokers automatically exchange the dividend payouts into Canadian dollars (no doubt charging their clients an exchange fee) and is this negotiable with your broker? Many thanks for your help.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on August 16, 2017
Q: Could I get an opinion on "Timing the Market" vs "Protecting my Capital"? If I use my RRX position as an example, I have a good company but with big oil industry head winds. I am in at about $9 on the stock (2.5% position at the time so less now). There were a number of "new 52 week lows" where technically I "should" have sold but I held onto the "quality" company.
Basically, whats a good strategy to prevent large losses in these type of situations when they come along----trade technically, or use a stop loss strategy, or other? No single stock more than %3-%5 of my portfolio is helping in this RRX example.
Read Answer Asked by Randy on August 16, 2017
Q: Thank you for your excellent service. The best piece of advice that you have given is not to add to loosing positions. Due to that advice both ITC (1.5% of portfolio) and CRH (0.6% of portfolio) contribute little to my overall portfolio of 34 stocks. Would you sell in a clean up trade or top them up to 2.5% weighting. My portfolio mirrors your balanced portfolio and is well diversified.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on August 16, 2017
Q: I should have gotten rid of these two dogs long ago, but "Nooooo!" Always hoping they'd bounce back. So does one just dump PetroWest at this point and get anything you can? I notice a company called Crown Capital has issued a release, hoping to salvage as much as possible (the assets have to be worth something). As for Neptune (thanks Alex Ruus), do I sell my shares, buy a compass and send it to management, which seems to have no sense of direction?
Read Answer Asked by Peter on August 16, 2017
Q: Hi 5I, I have sold AQN and RNW with profit, but holding FTS. Sine they dropped in price, I am thinking of rebuying one or both or adding to FTS. I would appreciate your advise.
Also, has some US $ and thinkin of buying VRP or PSP or if you can recommend a better one.Thank you for your advise. J.A. P., Burlington
Read Answer Asked by Joseph on August 16, 2017
Q: The company held a conference call to discuss their quarterly results this morning. While the results seemed ok their call has obviously spooked the markets. Was this due to the increases in their legal reserve due to certain law suits they are facing? There was also some mention that they would have no contribution from residential solar in 2017. Could you please provide your analysis/understanding of the issues they are facing and how serious these are for their long term longevity and profitability.
What do you advise shareholders do?
Read Answer Asked by John on August 15, 2017