Investment Q&A

Q: Increasingly, larger and larger corporations with supposedly robust firewalls are being hacked. Also, an article last week on the CNBC website reported that a number of US based online brokerages/dealers had been hacked and account holders had lost their money as a result. This raises the concern that independent Canadian online brokerages (like Questrade, for example) are now vulnerable to being breached and account holders could have their funds stolen. Am I being paranoid or is this within the realm of possibility given the ever greater sophistication of hackers? If so, do you know if these brokerages have government mandated cybersecurity insurance that would compensate account holders for their losses? I wrote to Questrade about this and they seem to be stalling on giving me an answer. It would seem easy for them to tell me whether or not they have this type of insurance. I'm wondering if I might be better off transfering my account to a bank-run online brokerage service. Or is it just as vulnerable to attack?
Robert

Q: Can you tell me when the revised model portfolio will be released . Will the updated portfolio carry the same number of stocks and what if any of the existing companies will be continued on the new model portfolio . MY goal is to invest $120M of RRSP's and TFSA funds in only A-B rated companies on your new portfolio. It would be helpful if you could highlight which companies would be best suited for RRSP's versus TFSA .
Thank You Rick

Q: Could you provide any insight into Horizon Pharma HZNP.Q

Q: Just a comment. When I lived in Australia breath testing for cannabis was already standard practice at every breathalyser
test. So this technology is not new.

Q: hello,

In one of your interview on BNN I understood that you will start in march a thematic research/portfolio model based specifically on small cap companies. Would it be possible to have more details ?
Thank you

Q: I have equal weightings in three tech companies at present (CSU, ESL, GIB.A), and would like to add a fourth. I am considering MDA, ET, OTC, and DSG. Which of these do you favour considering my current mix, or would you have a better choice? Thank you, Barrie

Q: HCG is down over 20% since i bought it in July. It's in my TFSA, so I can't do a tax loss sell. The questions is, should I just wait it out and hope for the best? I understand the question is basically not how much I've lost, or even whether or not i can recover it, but whether the ( seriously reduced) money would be better off somewhere else. Thoughts?

Q: Portugal Telecom has been a bit of a dog for some time. However, as its current price of $.83 is approximately 1/5 of its price less than 12 months ago, it may be a bargain if it survives. Is this a possible 5% of portfolio holding for a long term investor (i.e. gambler(?), insofar as this stock is concerned)?

Q: Hi 5i gang. I am a new subscriber and appreciate your advice on Canadian stocks. Can you recommend a newsletter/club that will give me similar advice on American stocks? Is there an American equivalent to Market Call on BNN? An unrelated question, is the trip to South Pacific in 2016 tax deductable under cost of investing? Thank you:)

Q: Based upon your positive comments in the past on both of these ETFs I had been planning on adding them to complement the individual stocks held in my portfolio. However, given Peter's recent Financial Post column suggesting that the TSX Composite Index might better be ignored I am having second thoughts. Please outline how an index-based product should fit into one's portfolio if at all. It appears that you would advise building a made-to-measure Model Portfolio rather than an off-the rack variety. Many thanks.

Q: Good morning,

Have you done any initial research on this topic? If so, what are your thoughts on a breathalyzer to detect marijuana usuage for police officers. Do we have any comparison to companies who came up with the breathalyzer for alcohol. Would this be patented and therefore a device that may corner the market? Are there any competitors with prototypes?

Many thanks,

Arturo

Q: Hi Peter
Cannabix technologies (BLO) is a Vancouver firm tha has developed a breathalizer test gadget for marihjuana and my understanding is that they are about to launch the product commercially in the next couple of months. Anything you can find out would be helpful
GUY R

Q: Recent weakness in ENB preferreds is caused not only by the shift of assets to ENF and the common dividend increase, as 5i pointed out, but also a downgrade of the company from stable to negative by Standard and Poors last Nov.22, which you may have missed and caused a significant weakening of the issues in Dec. They state in part "We view Enbridge’s financial risk profile as “significant.” The continuing large capital program to expand existing and build new liquids pipelines will continue to pressure financial metrics for the next several years."

The whole article in prefblog is here http://prefblog.com/?cat=31

Q: Good morning. I enjoy your service and appreciate the knowledge gained. I look forward to your new growth portfolio.
I was wondering if you would consider implementing a TFSA portfolio. I myself would find this to be most helpful. I understand that the strategy used would be different for different people. Possibly 3 portfolios with one for income oriented, one more balanced and a third growth orientated. My problem is finding the right mix for diversification and growth in mind. Specific TFSA advice would be most helpful since it is such a great avenue for wealth building for Canadians. Each january a new stock could be added. Just a thought.

Q: Hi 5i: I'm trying to clean up my energy holdings to avoid having dead money for an extended period. PPY is down around 20% this year so far. Given that LNG hopes seem to be receding, what do you see for PPY over the rest of 2015? Thanks for your always sound advice.

Q: Hi, I'd like to get your opinion on Crh's Q4 release that came out yesterday after the close. Did it beat or miss expectations? Was their acquisition expense just one time in Nature or did anything look off? I've done quite well with this name in a short time period but I think I'll hold or add a little for further growth if everything looks okay.

Thanks

Q: At TDW they list the dividend payout ratio for VNR as 103%. How does this fit with it's dividend being sustainable and seeing it a a stable source of income?

Q: Hi - your comments on the financing- it appears to have been upsized and over subscribed. What do you think of the theory that this will be used for more acquisitions?

Q: Please advise if this is a good entry point for SYZ,DHX.B & HCG.I am heavy in can.banks Great top picks on Feb 4 on Market Call.CXI increased 20%,XTC 8.77% & BIN down 0.36% Appreciate your usual great advices & services

Q: A comment on the latest results would be appreciated