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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: Today's Financial Post has an article "American Apparel LLC said it had started to lay off staff on Monday, after Canadian apparel maker Gildan Activewear Inc withdrew its initial plan to acquire some of the bankrupt U.S. fashion retailer’s manufacturing operations."

Going forward, do you think this will affect the stock price which already seems to be on a downward trajectory?

Is there now a "Trump Effect" with some Canadian companies that have a sizeable US footprint like Gildan, among others?

Thanks in advance for the timely advice.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on January 17, 2017
Q: My assessment of the insider selling in November was as a result of the very tight market for shares with the founders owning over 50%. In other words, I believe that they 'sacrificed' a small portion of their holdings simply to provide liquidity for investors.

I also note that CFO Andrews has been buying steadily and was buying on the open market as recently as December 30.
Read Answer Asked by Richard on January 17, 2017
Q: Good morning 5i.
My daughter (43) holds the following in her TFSA: AYA'B. AYA, BEP.UN, BNS, ECN/EFN, ENB, ENGH, GUD, PKI, SIS, WSP. She has ~10K to add this year. Could you suggest 2 new growth/dividend stocks and your thoughts re adding to AYA and/or BNS?
Thanks for the great help you provide.
Gary
Read Answer Asked by Gary on January 17, 2017
Q: Hi 5i: Thanks for answering my question about the cyclical and non-cyclical stocks, and also for identifying the Discretionary/Staples categorization (which I also found puzzling). The only stock in the balanced portfolio that I thought I knew how to classify was Magna - I believe Peter once explained it was discretionary not industrial, as one might think. You did not list this one in your response. Does that mean that MG has been re-classified? AS I said in my question, I find this categorization class a real puzzle.
Read Answer Asked by Roland on January 17, 2017
Q: I am looking at moving a significant chunk of our retirement money into either/both the Tangerine Equity Growth Portfolio and the Tangerine Balanced Growth Portfolio in an attempt to follow the 'one fund solution'. What are your thoughts and are there alternative index funds you think may be a better bet. This is my first question (membership was a Christmas prezzie from my dad)!
Read Answer Asked by Chris on January 17, 2017
Q: It has been suggested to me that a high percentage of one's investments should be made outside Canada as this is what most pension funds do since Canada is such a small part of the world's capitalisation. Do you concur with this belief re investing? In Canada, in particular, and in the US, to a lesser degree, I have a wealth of information about specific companies. In the rest of the world it is difficult to obtain good information and to buy except through ADR's. Thus my best way to invest is through Mutual Funds or ETF's. It seems to me when I look into Global ETF's that none that I could find matched the long term performance of MAW150. Since I tend to hold an investment for a long period of time, short term fluctuations in value are of little concern. My biggest concerns are the MER of 1.74% per annum and the possibility that Mawer will not match future performance with past performance. Is there an ETF that has a good track record or a different Mutual with a low MER that matches or beats MAW150? If MAW150 is the best, then based on your response, I may purchase up to 25% of my assets in it. With this change in asset mix approximately 50% of investments will be outside of Canada. Thank you. I value your opinion very much.
Read Answer Asked by ED on January 17, 2017
Q: I have a half position (2.5%) in EXE,CHR,AAR.UN and WCP. In a reasonably well diversified portfolio. I have enough cash to bring two stocks to a full position.
Should I pick two? Can you rank them in order?
Or should I add a bit to each? (More trading fees).
Or hold the cash for a couple of months to see how the markets are doing?
Read Answer Asked by David on January 17, 2017