Investment Q&A

Q: Hello,

I assume that VFV and ZSP are identical EFTs provided by Vanguard and BMO respectively. Their MER, asset allocations, sector breakdown are close to identical.

However I notice the following anomalies (VFV vs ZSP):
1) Dividends of $0.238 CAD vs $0.145 with yields of 1.565% and 1.789% respectively. Why the difference in dividends?

2) Portfolio turnover rate of 13.18% vs 31.90%. Why would there be a difference in turnover rate?

3) Benchmark: S&P 500 CAD vs S&P 500 TR CAD. What does the "TR" mean?

3) Market price (NAV?) of $56.33 vs $34.94: Is this due to dividend reinvestment and inception date?

If one were to buy one of these, which would you prefer and why?

Thank you for your excellent and unbiased opinion and service

Q: Peter and Team: This is my first question since joining this august group, as I am still in learning mode and want to make sure my questions add value. However, I think this issue is important and I am truly perplexed. I note that yesterday, 80% of CRHM volume traded were short sales and on above average volume (source: shortvolume.com), which was highly unusual, and the price closes even. Then, the very next day on much greater volume still, the price plummets. Doesn't this strike one as extremely odd, temporally speaking, and especially, as you point out, that most of the trading seemed to be retail? What could be the possible explanations for this? I would really like to understand this one for future reference. On the surface, it would suggest to me that some folks must have information that others don't (earnings leak?), because I find it difficult to believe that the short report referred to earlier explains it all. Any and all thoughts would be most appreciated.

Q: Hello Peter, Ryan et al

I spoke with Kettina Cordero, IR Director for CRH regarding the volatility which she attributes to a letter from a hedge fund manage to his subscribers, however, my thinking was related to the release next week of "Unaudited" statements. She indicated that the CRH fundamentals have not changed and that it is fairly common that unaudited quarterly financials are not audited. Any thoughts?

Thank you .... Marty

Q: I own many of your Canadian stock recommendations. However I keep 20-30 % of my portfolio in US stocks. I am now looking at CGNX and ABS. Although not your area of focus, do you have any concern with either of these ?

Q: They seem to be signing some really good new leases. DO you think the dividend is reasonably safe? How do you fell. about this entity overall? Thanks

Q: Hello 5i team, I try to better classify the whole portfolio by various sectors and I hesitate where should I put bonds - to treat it as a separate category, or to classify depending on fixed income type.. etc. Looks like a theoretical exercise but still important to assess sector weights properly :) Your advice is highly appreciated!

Q: What is your opinion on holding long bonds as a defensive tactic in a portfolio? Would one hold federal, corporate, or provincial long
bonds. Thanks, Joe

Q: I need to diversify our investments more outside of Canada/US. What is your opinion of VAH? The dividend is attractive. Thank you, Bill.

Q: Hi, I own Cdz and was looking at its long term result compared to the benchmark. It looks like they are below the benchmark every year by a small %.
Since inception the benchmark was 7.8 and Cdz was 7 % approx. is this about right and why do they fall short every year? I must be missing something.

Q: Hello Peter et al.

This could be my last question about Ithaca Energy. I have held it for a good while and now that the takeover is approved and Delek own 76% of the company is it time to capitulate and just tender my shares @$1.95. I think that the news will be good in the next year but because of the illiquidity of the remaining shares would there be a true increase as would be with a company with not one large shareholder? This money has been dead money for me since Feb so will it be dead money in your opinion in the future as there are so small of the number of outstanding shares? Are there any other risks that I am missing with not tendering my shares now? The opportunity cost is a big one.

Thanks,

Brendan

Q: I am planning to add one US bank to my portfolio, which one of the above mentioned banks would you recommend.

Q: Hi Folks,

I'm now looking for a little torc in my dividend portfolio. Could you recommend 4 or 5 names of good dividend stocks where one might expect higher than average growth over the next 3 years. Sectors not important.

Many thanks,

Dennis

Q: Hello Folks:
I have small positions in Gild and Gud and wondering which you prefer?
Thank You brian

Q: What are the expectations for earnings and sales for the Q ending 03/31? I understand they report after hours on April 26 with a conference call the following day

Q: I suggest you place a eValium button on a stock every time it tanks. I could prevent folks from jumping off windows. On second thought marijuana ETF would do the same.

Q: The pending takeover of DH corp. is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.Can we expect to continue receiving the quarterly dividend of.12 cents ?

Q: CRH is basically a core holding for me I guess. It climbed to 8% of my total portfolio but is now 3.9% which I can handle. I was wondering however if this might provide a short term trading opportunity on a core position. The question is when to buy, before or after they report.
Thank You again
Clarence

Q: Do you have an opinion on this US railroad? TD belives that Hunter Harrison do his magic here as he did with CN and CPR.

Q: Hi 5i,
Just a comment: I’m not sure exactly what to conclude from CRH’s price move today. We have a one-day share price decline of over 18% on something like 6x average volume (possibly more because I don’t think my broker’s site picks up all volume), which appears to have been motivated by a rumor that an un-named hedge fund manager has circulated a negative report and short recommendation on the company. At the time of my writing, trading for Friday is closed and I still can’t find any mention of who supposedly issued this negative report and recommendation, let alone a copy (or even a second-hand description) of the report, to begin informing myself and critically evaluate. Nonetheless, based on the reported size of the individual sales, the initial appearance is that today’s sell-off was fueled significantly by retail investors, who would likely be in no better position to evaluate the situation than I am, rather than by large block sales from institutional investors. Of course with a stock like CRH having tripled fairly quickly from the $4 level, it was ripe to be sold. Anyone holding over that period could hedge out by selling half their position in the $10-$12 range, crystallizing a profit, and be left with only winnings on the table to play with. Investor sentiment may be influenced by fundamentally unrelated confidence issues, such as events and trading around HCG over the past few days, among other items. And there may be many holders of CRH who still can’t say exactly what separates it from being another PHM. But without even any allegations to look at, shareholders are exhibiting a “sell on the rumor of a rumor” mentality, and CRH is worth nearly $163,000,000 CAD less (by market cap) than it was at this time yesterday.

Meanwhile, SHOP was attacked by a negative report with a “Zacks Rank 5 – Strong Sell” rating slapped on it at the end of March, supposedly based on valuation getting too far ahead of fundamentals. Shortly thereafter the stock plunged from above $97 CAD to below $90 CAD in two days. Almost 3 weeks later, with no specific fundamental news in the interim, SHOP closed today above $103 CAD. Zacks Rank today? “3 – Hold” (https://www.zacks.com/stock/quote/SHOP ).

Yeesh!
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