Designed to help Canadians find investment solutions to the two big problems they’re facing: low interest rates and volatile stock markets, the Income Investor was chosen by The Globe and Mail as one of the top five investment newsletters in Canada. If you need income from investments with minimal risk, the Income Investor covers all types of income securities including income trusts, preferred shares, high-yielding common stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and GICs. Any security that generates cash flow is fair game for our experts.
Edited and published by Gordon Pape. Editor: Mike Keerma.
With Gavin Graham, Shawn Allen, Richard Croft, & David Kitai.
Recent Issues
tii2402 (January 25, 2024)
Should you invest in Yield Shares ETFs?… Richard Croft updates Manulife Financial… Gordon Pape updates Enbridge, Firm Capital, Mullen Group, Innergex Renewable Energy… Gavin Graham updates Definity Financial, Peyto Development and Exploration, Capital Power… Your Questions: Wants US cash flow
tii2401 (January 11, 2024)
Bond rally stalls… Low risk ways to build your TFSA… Top Pick: BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF… Gordon Pape updates XBB… Gavin Graham updates Slate Grocery REIT
tii2324 (December 21, 2023)
Two little words… Lower rates will benefit banks… Top Pick: National Bank… Gavin Graham updates Scotiabank, Canadian Western Bank… Perpetual preferred shares remain timely… Gordon Pape updates Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Renewable Partners… Your Questions: Advisor wants to change asset allocation… Price increase – final reminder
tii2323 (December 7, 2023)
Return of the bond bull… This month’s Top Pick: iShares Core Canadian Long Term Bond Index ETF… Gordon Pape’s updates: Canadian Utilities, NorthWest Healthcare Properties REIT, Vanguard US Aggregate Bond Index ETF… Your Questions: What’s in store for this T-bill fund?
tii2322 (November 23, 2023)
How safe are high interest ETFs?… Cue the music: The return/yield two-step… Richard Croft updates Power Corp., CIBC… Pipelines pay off… Gordon Pape’s ETF updates: iShares 0-5 Years TIPS Bond Index ETF, Harvest Brand Leaders Plus Income ETF… Price increase
tii2321 (November 9, 2023)
Double threats… Gordon Pape updates Pembina Pipeline, Fortis Inc… Gavin Graham updates Brookfield Corp…. Your Questions: Investing in HISA ETFs
tii2320 (October 26, 2023)
Dividend bargains… This month’s Top Pick: Organon & Co… Rough times for Balanced Portfolio… Gavin Graham updates Stella-Jones, Boralex, Corby… Gordon Pape updates Mullen Group
Recent Updates
Brookfield Renewable Partners (TSX: BEP.UN, NYSE: BEP)
Brookfield operates one of the world’s largest publicly traded platforms for renewable power and decarbonization solutions. It operates over 40 gigawatts of total installed capacity including hydroelectric, wind, solar, and utility-scale battery energy storage systems, alongside sustainable solutions like nuclear services (via Westinghouse Electric) and green fuels.
Hold
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (TSX: BIP.UN, NYSE: BIP)
This is a Bermuda-based limited partnership that owns infrastructure assets in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. These include railways, ports, transmission lines, toll roads, utilities, and more.
Hold
BCE Cumulative Redeemable First Preferred Shares Series AC (TSX: BCE.PR.C)
I recommended BCE.PR.C as one possible alternative to Canadian bonds. Canadian preferred shares offer steady cashflow like a bond, trade based on changes in Canadian interest rates (like bonds), offer higher yields (current yield is 5.976%), and provide tax advantages because of the dividend tax credit.
Buy
iShares Global REIT ETF (NYSE: REET)
If you prefer to invest in international real estate, this should be your choice, although it is heavily weighted to the US (73% of assets). Other countries in the mix are Japan, Australia, Singapore, the UK, and France. Canada comprises only 2% of the portfolio. All told, the fund holds 318 positions.
Buy
RBC Canadian Bank Yield Index ETF (TSX: RBNK)
You may wonder how an ETF that invests only in six banks can outperform the Financials sub-index and funds like the BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (TSX: ZEB). The answer is asset mix.
Whereas the BMO fund equally divides its holdings among the Big Six banks, this one makes bets on which will perform best. At present, Bank of Montreal is the top position at 26.1% followed closely by Scotiabank at 25.1%. They’ve both done well, with BMO ahead about 43% year to date while Scotiabank has added about 24%.