Investing for Financial Freedom

[Homeownertoo]

Not my picks, granny, but you can probably sleep easy with them while drawing their dividends. I'd probably add some energy stocks now their prices are down, a US pharma like Novartis, a tech stock like Intel, etc.

[Glacier]

What about an REIT like American Capital Agency Corp. with their 15% dividend?

[grammafreddy]

What is REIT, what is American Capital Agency Corp. and 15% sounds good - is it risky?

[Static]

A 15% yield is warning that the payout is not sustainable. If it was, the yield would be comparable to the rest.

[Captain Awesome]

Would appreciate opinions on this stock portfolio ...


Canadian:
-Rogers
-TD
-Royal Bank
-Thomson Reuters

US:
-Target
-Wal-Mart

What would you change? Add? Delete? and why?

Gramma,

I would diversify way more that this - cover more sectors, add more positions (at least 15 over a number of different sectors).

[Static]

I would place an emphisis on cash.

[grammafreddy]

Would appreciate opinions on this stock portfolio ...


Canadian:
-Rogers
-TD
-Royal Bank
-Thomson Reuters

US:
-Target
-Wal-Mart

What would you change? Add? Delete? and why?

Gramma,

I would diversify way more that this - cover more sectors, add more positions (at least 15 over a number of different sectors).

Thanks CA.

How much non-Canadian would you have? What are some examples of other sectors? What is a "position"?

[Static]

I would keep all investment monies in CDN funds. The US currency is overvalued. If u must invest in US stocks, buy companies that receive most of their revenue/profit from outside the US.

[grammafreddy]

Man, I sure wish I had studied up on all this ahead of time. I am being called to make some investment decisions for myself and have no idea what to do. I am drawing down about 6% per annum from a locked in pension and need to replace that 6% with some kind of portfolio that will keep on keeping on.

I favour all Canadian stuff and don't trust anything US based. Is that reasonable?

I want low/medium risk, long term stuff (forever investing) without any stock market hassles. Dividends and splits might do what I need? HELP!

I did a wee bit of research and this is what I have come up with as possibilities ... please, if you are savvy, give me some guidance

CNG Natural Gas (or the Canadian one?)
Westport Innovations
Clean Energy Fuels
HERO Cycles
Phillip Morris International (hey, gotta support my vice)
General Electric
Automated Data Processing
Esso (Exxon?)
Coca Cola
Bristol Myers
AT&T
Duke Energy
Oakmark
Exxon
PCYC
ARNA
MDVN
AAPL
Brookfield Infrastructure
Google
VISA
Mattel
Brazil's main electrical transmission company (don't know yet what its called)
Johnson & Johnson

Nothing European (too upsy-downsy for me)

What pharmaceuticals are Canadian?

How about metals? What about that Fipke diamond mine thing?

Canadian uranium?

[grammafreddy]

I would keep all investment monies in CDN funds. The US currency is overvalued. If u must invest in US stocks, buy companies that receive most of their revenue/profit from outside the US.

How does one know what those are?

[Static]

They are the the Johnson & Johnson's and Phillip Morris ( I own, received the shares when Altria spun it off. I am
Up 214% in 8 years on the stock).

[grammafreddy]

Hmmm ... that's good - yes?

Can you C&P my list and do a yea or nay beside each if I should buy that one?

[Static]

Gramma, I will do that for you this weekend. I wouldn't buy anything at the moment.

[Captain Awesome]

Does anyone have experience with wealth management/portfolio management companies? Currently, I'm doing all of the investing myself but at some point I would like to get somebody do it for me - since I do have limitations to my knowledge and experience. I know all of them charge a certain percentage for assets under management - is that a good way to go? Is the percentage they charge worth the extra return one would get from them?

[Static]

Yes, I beleive it is the best way. Find one that is paid a base rate (.75% of assets), plus a performance fee if they outperform the index. Always use one that keeps track of their performanc. You can also use one to do a portfolio consultation once or twice a year. But, if you are doing a good job yourself, why would you want someone else doin it for you?