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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: Would it be possible to include whether the dividend of companies that you cover qualify for the dividend tax credit or contain foreign income or return of capital? This information is a lot harder to find on company websites than I thought it would be since I think is quite important information. I appreciate it might be hard to include provide this info for every question asked (thought it would be nice when the question does pertain specifically to the dividend) but the Reports should include it, I think. It may also help to cut down on the number of questions as to which account stocks should be held.

Thank you.

Paul F.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on April 16, 2017
Q: Recently a member suggested The Cerbat Gem as a free investment news and recommendations site. May I advise caution as concerns this site.

Yes, they aggregate press releases, broker reports, and trading monitors in an impersonal (robotic?) style, and perhaps this provides a useful service. But there is little to distinguish The Cerbat Gem from (for example) The Stock Rover, Buckeye Business Review, Chaffey Breeze, Rockville Register, The Markets Daily, Community Financial News, Key Gazette, etc., etc., etc. - all of whom print variations on essentially the same information.

Still not put-off? Consider, then, that the site's Omaha, Nebraska street address can't be located via Google maps, and that it shares a Florida phone number with Sports Perspectives (another address-unfindable investment-news site.) Indeed, we might wonder whether its real purpose were to generate webpages which, subsequently, show-up on news-based search results, thereby creating click-bait for the site's endless pop-up ads.
Read Answer Asked by John on April 16, 2017
Q: Hi Peter,

I have had ESP for 2-3 years and I have seen it as high as $4 when a potential deal with Rogers was in the works. It is currently my largest holding. ESP's last quarter was very positive and gave the price a good bump which has since dwindled. With approximatley $1.15 per share in cash, can we assume 1.5 X cash = $1.72 as a minimum value for this company? This has been the valuation I am basing my decisions on. With the current price approaching $2 a share (my average), I see good potential with manageable risk.

I look forward to your opinion on this one.

Cheers,
Read Answer Asked by Ryan on April 13, 2017
Q: Your readers may be interested in a couple of free investment sites that I use.
The first is Globe Investor/My Watchlist which publishes daily
(before the market opens)-Analyst upgrades & downgrades and Small cap stocks to watch.Then the next day some of the selections are reported in the Globe & Mail. For instance Cirius Trust was an upgrade yesterday and was covered today in Eye on equities in the Globe & Mail. This morning before the market opened Shopify was upgraded .
The 2nd is The Cerbat Gem ,a U.S. site that covers investment news and recommendations from numerous investment houses in Canada & U.S.
Recently they had reports on Crh,Sis and Zcl.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on April 13, 2017
Q: Hi team,
Just a point of confusion: TD Direct Investing treats CBO, XHY and the like as equities, while in your Portfolio Review these are treated as fixed income. Does this matter as long as one is consistent in their assignation of the sector / allocation? I think it does matter as it changes the perspective of the portfolio as a whole. I would like your opinion.
Thank you
Stanley Cohen

Read Answer Asked by STANLEY on April 13, 2017
Q: Your valued experienced and knowledgeable opinion on the second quarter please. Also any comment on Quote: "In terms of our Recapitalization go-private transaction, we are awaiting the decision of the CRTC," added Mr. Redmond.

I still hold shares in this and was even thinking of accepting SIRI shares if this thing happens? Or should I just give it up and move on?

Thanks.....Stephen S
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on April 13, 2017
Q: I don't usually like market timing and don't really believe in this "sell in may..." stuff, but this year is a little different. What are your thoughts if the Trump administration is unable to come up with a concrete tax reform plan by may/june? Would they have time given congress goes into break shortly after? I would expect there would be volatility ahead, but have you experienced similar events like this in the past where there's been bets on policy changes that don't materialize?

Read Answer Asked by dan on April 13, 2017
Q: WHEN A COMPANY SAYS IT IS EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES AND HIRES AN INVESTMENT
BANKER TO EXPLORE THOSE ALTERNATIVES; HOW OFTEN WILL A SALE HAPPEN IN YOUR OPINION? I REALIZE THE BOARD WILL ONLY SELL IF THEY GET A GOOD PRICE BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND DO YOU THINK CDI-N IS WORTH HOLDING FOR A POSSIBLE SALE? I DO NOT OWN THIS COMPANY YET BUT WOULD CONSIDER PURCHASING IT. THANKS
Read Answer Asked by John on April 13, 2017
Q: Been holding GSY, have had a super run, thanks for the advice. I am however gettign concerned about an end to canadas debt binge

What are the risks to GSY from
1. Deflation of the housing bubble
2. BOC signalling and (potentially) raising rates

Would it cause more or less customers to need the type of financing GSY offers? will GSY yield spreads on financing increase/decrease?

Thanks

Kuldar
Read Answer Asked by Kuldar on April 13, 2017
Q: Hi 5i Team,

Im looking to replace PD in my TFSA. I thought I was smarter than the market when I purchased it at an average price above $10. I did little homework on the name and now I'm paying the price. I typically have a tremendous amount of patience with investments. What would you do if you owned this stock? I know there are better opportunities out there, but I feel like if oil moves to the upside this name has a lot of potential.

Thanks,
FP
Read Answer Asked by Francesco on April 13, 2017
Q: April 11/17 ? asked by Terry re large block
trading:
'Dark pools' are private networks which do not have to report trades to the consolidated volume till after completion. In the US, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Citibank and others have them and apparently account for as much as 40% of the volume. What is the situation re 'dark pools' in Canada? Also, what is the situation with TSE trades reported as 'anonymous' broker?
Read Answer Asked by Russ on April 13, 2017