Investment Q&A

Q: With a recent run up in share prices the fixed income portion of my portfolio is due for an injection, and I am holding plenty of cash for new purchases. I hold a reasonable mix of government bonds, preferred shares, and corporate debentures, but feel that my weighting of debentures is low and an increase would be appropriate. Can you provide your top 2 or 3 picks of convertible debentures from any of the companies you cover or if that list is too short anything outside of your coverage that looks good. I’m looking for something that pays at least a 5% dividend and trades at a slight discount (i.e. <$100). Could even trade at a deep discount as long as you have no concerns with repayment at maturity.

Q: Do you think enghouse(esl), could be a five or ten bagger like constellation software(csu), thanks?

Q: Hi Peter and Team, I really don't know what else to say except 'Thank You' for all the help in 2012 and 2013...so Thank You!

Can you please tell me if insiders of Prinecrest, PRY, have been buying during this month, how much and by whom? Would PRY be considered a very cheap stock in the sector currently at .38 cents?

Also, your outlook on oil for 2014 would be appreciated as well, especially if Iran starts to play ball finally and agrees to what is being demanded of them in order to lift sanctions on their oil exports.

Also, with fast technological advancements in finding and producing oil and gas, which I'm sure will also be applied to in Asian and other countries in the near future (fracking, etc), how do you see technology impacting oil prices downward over the next one to three years? Oil moved from $150 per barrel to under $40 per barrel just a few years ago so could this occur again with so much oil being produced now, with more oil coming on stream every year? I just can't see world wide demand/consumption meeting increased oil supply, and increased production over the years to come!

Again, Thanks!

Please ignor this question if you already received it this past Friday, thanks.

Q: Could I please have your view of the ETF Powershares Global Private Equity,PSP, as a way of tapping into private equity companies? Do you see the 13% dividend as sustainable?

Q: Hello i5 Team,
AET (Argent Energy Trust), and TBE (Twin Butte Energy), are down 24% and 21% respectively in my RRSP. I have held on for well over a year now, but am now wondering whether I should continue to hold, or sell and get into something else from your portfolio. I also hold PPL, GEI and KEY which have done very well, and I will continue to hold.
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Warm holiday wishes to all of you!

Q: Seasons Greetings to all at 5i--Hope 2014 is both healthy and prosperous for you all.
I note that Pulse Seismic (PSD) is at or near all-time highs. Should I be adding for 2014 or take some off of the table. There is no tax consideration as far as 2013 is concerned. Thanks for all your help in 2013. Bill

Q: I hold the iShares CWO Emerging Markets ETF. Its P/E is 8.1, the Price to Book is 1.00, its yield is 1.36%, and the MER is .69%. The performance of this BRIC ETF over the last several years has been flat.

Do you have any other recommendations for an emerging markets play? Should I be concerned that the daily volume averages 3.7K?

Thanks.

Q: Hi Peter and Team: First, thanks for the truly great service. My question: It seems the UK economy might be on the mend, so I have been looking at British ETFs. What do you think of EWU and EWUS for the next year or two? The latter had a particularly good 2013. Merry Xmas.

Q: Hi Peter & Team:
ste-t Santonia Energy. I have too many shares in this company,and I should have had stops on them,however, that is history. I once owned Biovail and I was going away for a few weeks and I got stopped out and have been reluctant to use stops ever since especially when we have HFT even though they claim that it only affects large cap stocks. Could you please comment on this? Back to Santonia. Any time a c
ompany changes their name it usually means trouble. Natural gas has been rising in this cold spell and ste has beern going down. Probably tax loss selling. From all my research they apparently still have some good properties left even after their recent sales,and supposedly have some good people at the helm. What do you see in the future for it?

Thanks,
BEN

Q: Could I get your opinion on GEI.thanks

Q: I am grossly overweight pembina and would like to replace a portion of it with something that will likely provide the same or better total return in a registered account. Could you give me a couple of suggestions.Have a Happy Christmas

Q: Hi Peter and team (sorry but I don't know anyone else's name)

I joined the site last summer and since then I have made reading the investor questions and answers a daily habit.

I considered myself a fairly knowledgeable investor but to be honest my investment performance as a do it your-selfer had been fairly abysmal as I thought the best way to make money in Canada is just invest in gold, oil and real estate. Who knew about the opportunities in cinemas, auto collision shops or engineering firms? Obviously, not me!

Since joining 5i, thanks to you, I have earned my best returns ever.

Therefore, I wish to express my sincere thanks for the service you provide and the very best for the holidays and New Year to everyone at 5i

Q: Hi Peter,

Should the average investor consider trading options?
For example my family portfolio size is approx. +800K in
both registered and non-registered accounts.
It appears to me that trading commissions/fees are significant
and definitely erode the potential/risk from using them.
I would appreciate your thoughts.

Q: Hi

There was a big spike in volume on WIN Friday.
In your opinion what could be the reason?
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
Once again great service
Looking forward to 2014.

Hersh

Q: Peter, thank you very much for starting 5i. I have played with micro caps for 20 years and never been able to keep my gains. I have been a 5i member from before the time you even had the site up and running and now my portfolio has gained just over 100% since then. I am sure I speak for all members that we are so grateful that you are the type of person you are to walk away from an extremely lucrative position on Bay Street to start a new venture whose mission is to provide a service for the little guy. It takes a rare individual to do that. Again a huge thanks to the whole 5i team for actually changing lives.

Q: Just wanted to thank you Peter, and your staff for all of your hard work and dedication you put into providing us with such an invaluable and awesome service. It's very greatly appreciated!

A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all!

Q: reguarding the question asked by BOB on dec.20th. for gold recomendation? just wondering why you did not also suggest the etf xgd as used in the moneysaver etf portfolio?

Q: Hi team and Merry Christmas,
I have held Argonaut Gold off and on over the past several years and have generally done well by it. My latest foray into this stock has me about 15% under water. This is presently my only exposure to gold and it is about a 1/2 position for me. Do you think I should bail or hang on?

Q: I know that while you don't generally cover US stocks I thought you might have a comment on the following as it pertains to dividends and dividend payers. You noted in one of your blogs that companies that start paying dividends should be watched because they often exhibit greater growth. Goodyear Tire (GT) stopped paying a dividend many years ago and after much restructuring, have just re-started their dividend. The stock has increased quite dramatically over the year (even thought the dividend was only payable this month)so I am wondering if the new dividend has already been priced into the stock and if a company that re-starts a dividend is any different than one that initiates one for the first time.

Thanks as always.

Paul

Q: i live in sarnia and have been following methes.com (MEIL)at their sombra plant just south me. its Canada's biggest bio-diesel converter with plants in Mississauga and here in sarnia....and they have made some recent and significant moves. has CMS ever reviewed them or do they have an opinion??