How to conduct fundamental analysis and invest wisely

By

Relying on social media platforms, self-proclaimed investing gurus and online forums for investment recommendations can be disastrous. Whether you’re assessing the potential of a company or analyzing your existing portfolio, fundamental analysis is the best barometer for gauging the true value of any investment. Learn the five key steps of conducting fundamental analysis and making informed investment decisions about companies you are interested in.

1. Review public reports – When you have found a company that best fits your investment objectives, the first step is to research and understand how the company makes money and any business risks it faces. You can gain a better understanding of that by reviewing public reports on the company’s website or those available on SEDAR (i.e. the filing database for the Canadian Securities Administrators) or EDGAR website (i.e. U.S Securities and Exchange Commission’s SEC filing database).

2. Understand the company’s financials – Once you feel confident in the company’s business, the next move is to understand the company’s financials. This information can be found in the company’s publicly available annual reports. These reports will help you learn about the company’s debt and obligations as well as its net income at the end of the quarter or year. Additionally, you can learn about the company’s return on equity, which can help you determine if it’s using its investment money responsibly.

3. Explore the company’s industry – Next, you want to explore the company’s business landscape. At this stage, you can learn about the innovations, disruptions, and opportunities facing the company’s industry. This is also a great time to understand the company’s competitors and whether it has the right products and services to compete.

4. Examine the company’s leadership – You should examine the company’s leadership, including board members and executive team. The purpose of this step is to understand if the company’s leadership has the right experience and management style to make the critical decisions for the company’s success.

5. Finalize your research with trusted and experienced resources – Once you have conducted all of the preceding steps, you can round out your research with additional insights and perspectives on the company. Utilizing information provided by reputable sources like Bloomberg News, Morningstar.ca, TMX.COM and NASDAQ.com, you can uncover any risks you may have missed during your research or additional growth opportunities. Remember to avoid the temptation of confirmation bias and consider all expert opinions and not just the ones aligned to your own opinion.

The excitement around investing continues to grow, with speculation, social media hype, and ongoing news coverage stoking frenzied investor sentiment. While fundamental analysis will never guarantee investment returns, it will help you move past the online noise and provide you with the knowledge to make informed investment decisions.

Kicking off the school year with RESPs

By

With the new school year kicking off and kids headed to classrooms, now is a great time to start thinking about how prepared you are for their future education. While it may seem far away, planning for your child or grandchild’s post-secondary education early on can pay off big over time.

Costs for post-secondary education – universities, trade schools, colleges – are rising every year. According to Statistics Canada’s 2020-2021 figures, the average national one-year cost of university for students in residence was $22,730 and $11,330 for those living at home, which is expected to rise to $32,942 and $16,165 for children born in 2021. For those wanting to help support their children with the costs of post-secondary education, an RESP account can be a critical savings and investment vehicle.

Why should you consider an RESP?

The registered education savings plan was created in 1974 by the Federal Government to encourage parents to save for their children’s post-secondary schooling. As a savings and investment vehicle geared towards students, there are numerous benefits RESPs have over other savings plans. These include:

  • Tax-deferred growth. You can contribute up to $50,000 per child to an RESP without any taxes payable on the money earned (i.e. accumulated income, Canada Education Savings Grants, Canada Learning Bond, Provincial Grants), until it is used. When the money is withdrawn, income earned is taxed at the student’s tax rate – which could be minimal as most students have little or no income.
  • Government grants. To complement existing funds saved or invested, the government will contribute 20% on every dollar up to a maximum grant of $500 a year. You can utilize this annual grant for a total grant contribution of $7,200. Low-income families can also benefit from additional grants provided through the Canadian Learning Bond.

The title “savings plan” is slightly misleading, as parents are also able to invest within their child’s RESP and rely on the power of compound interest to grow the plan significantly. For example, if you invested $210 a month for the first 15 years of your child’s life in a diversified investment fund at an average annual compound interest rate of 6%, at the 16 year mark, your child would have $58,655 in their account, excluding the additional government grants.

What if my child decides not to go to post-secondary?

If your child decides that they do not want to pursue post-secondary education, you are allowed to keep the account open for up to 36 years. If you know for sure that your child will not be attending a post-secondary institution, you can withdraw the contributions you have made to the account with the accumulated interest earned on these contributions, taxed at your marginal tax rate plus 20%. You can also transfer up to $50,000 of your contributions to your RRSP, if you have the room.

How do I create an RESP?

Start by contacting your financial advisor or financial institution. Most banks, credit unions, mutual fund companies, investment dealers and scholarship plan dealers offer RESP accounts. Additionally, financial advisors and robo-advisors can help you open an account and recommended a suitable portfolio of investments for your child. Always remember to check the registration of any individual or firm you plan to work with.

Just like when you held their hand on their first day of school, your investment in an RESP can provide invaluable support to your child as they complete their scholastic journey.

Changes in the Canadian SRO landscape and what it means for Alberta investors

By

There are two self-regulatory organizations (SROs) in Canada that strive to promote investor protection and ethical conduct within the investment industry. These organizations are the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC).

On August 3, 2021, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), the umbrella organization representing all of Canada’s securities regulators, announced its plan to oversee the creation of a new, single SRO to consolidate the functions of the MFDA and IIROC. The new SRO will provide an enhanced regulatory framework for the investment industry.

Similarly, the CSA will oversee the creation of a new investor protection fund which will consolidate the functions of the MFDA Investor Protection Corporation and Canadian Investor Protection Fund. These funds provide eligible customers of investment dealers and MFDA members protection for cash and securities within defined limits, in the event that a dealer or member they work with becomes insolvent.

Understanding SROs

An SRO is an organization created to regulate the operations, standards of practice, and business conduct of its members and their representatives and to promote the protection of investors and the public interest.

The MFDA, founded in 1998, provides oversight to dealers that distribute mutual funds and exempt fixed income products to investors. The MFDA is structured as a not-for-profit corporation with its members comprised of mutual fund dealers licensed with provincial securities commissions, outside of Quebec and Newfoundland.

IIROC, formed in 2008, sets and enforces rules regarding the proficiency, business and financial conduct of investment firms and registered securities dealers. With surveillance teams across Canada, IIROC oversees all Canadian marketplace activity, ensuring everyone trades fairly and follows trading rules.

What does the consolidation of the MFDA and IIROC mean for investors?

CSA Position Paper 25-404 New Self-Regulatory Organization Framework outlines the framework for the new SRO, which is based on extensive research, analysis and consultation with industry participants. It is designed to streamline the protection measures for Canadian investors while enhancing public confidence, innovation in the capital markets and fair and efficient market operations through continually evolving industry conditions.

The new, yet to be named, SRO will centralize the MFDA and IIROC complaint-reporting processes, allowing investors to easily file a complaint and have it directed to the new SRO or the relevant provincial securities regulator(s). Additionally, the new SRO will facilitate easier and more cost-effective public access to a broader range of investment products and services.

Until the consolidation of the MFDA and IIROC is complete, investors are reminded that the functions and services of both existing SROs still remain fully operational. If you have complaints regarding trading issues or with your registered or dealing representative, please visit www.iiroc.ca, www.mfda.ca or www.albertasecurities.com.

Active Investing: Understanding the basics

By

Investing is a wealth-building tool that can be as involved or as hassle-free as you want. Active investing is a hands-on approach in which either you or a financial advisor acting on your behalf invests with the objective to outperform the market’s average returns. Passive investing involves investments in funds like exchange-traded funds and indexes that track and invest in the entire stock market and require little to no involvement from the investor to achieve average market returns.

For those interested in a more hands-on approach to investing, the active investing strategy may be more appropriate. Learn more about active investing and what you should consider before adopting this strategy.

Research is fundamental

Active investing comes in many forms, whether it is stock-picking on your own or through actively managed investment funds or portfolios created by financial advisors. The key to being successful at active investing is researching the fundamentals of any investment and ensuring that it meets your risk tolerance and aligns with your financial plan. Elements of this research include performing a comprehensive analysis of the company’s financial statements and other public reports to understand its business, revenue, cash flow, and debt etc.

It’s all about balance

When assessing the fit of an investment within a portfolio, investors or financial advisors are tasked with ensuring that it does not impact the overall balance. For example, if you invest in a company already held in an index fund you own, you are unknowingly increasing your investment in that company for better or worse. Suppose you buy too much stock in the technology sector, for instance. In that case, you may imbalance your portfolio towards that sector and see greater losses if that industry has a downturn, more so than a broadly diversified or balanced portfolio.

Know the risks

Generally speaking, active investing can yield higher returns but also carries with it higher risk. Even with comprehensive analysis, investors are not guaranteed high returns through picking individual stocks. In fact, more often than not, they underperform the market. The buying and selling of stocks can also expose you to cognitive or behavioural biases that can cause you to sell your investments at the worst of times or take on more risk than you are willing or comfortable to accept normally.

Active investing can be a great way to grow your wealth but is far more complex and involved than a passive approach. Fortunately, you are not restricted to any one strategy and can implement a blend of both passive and active strategies to create a portfolio that aligns with your unique financial plan, risk tolerance and goals.

 

 

Confronting the five cognitive biases of self-directed investing

By

Money is a powerful tool in our day-to-day lives. There are various emotional connections and cognitive biases that impact how we spend, save, and invest our money. When it comes to investing, you perform the best when making informed decisions and approaching the market methodically and rationally.

Our investing behaviour is defined not just by the act of buying and selling investments, but also the psychological traps and misconceptions we have to contend with. Below, learn more about how you can recognize these negative biases and take a more calculated and successful approach with your investing.

Overconfidence effect: is a well-established bias in which your confidence in your judgment does not align with your actual accuracy and results. In investing, this can lead you to overestimate your understanding of the stock markets, ignore or disregard information and expert advice, take greater risks than is suitable for you, and ignore red flags of poor investments and fraud.

Herding behaviour (aka. FOMO effect): often linked to wild and irrational stock market bubbles, herding is the tendency for us to want to follow the crowd. The fear of missing out on the next big investment can influence you to make investment decisions in line with what you see and hear from others and less so on the fundamentals of the company you are considering. Fundamentals include profitability, revenue, assets, liabilities, and growth potential.

Confirmation bias: is when you have preconceived notions about a company or investment and seek out information that supports your beliefs rather than building a comprehensive understanding through objective research and data. This bias can make you invest in companies with a skewed sense of its business potential.

Loss Aversion: is the tendency for you to place more importance on losses rather than gains. This can lead you to hold on to a stock that continues to drop in value while all current rational analysis tells you to sell it. Inversely, this could also have you selling a stock that went up in value slightly to realize a gain, while ignoring analysis telling you that it should be held longer for a much greater profit.

Anchoring: is when you anchor your opinion and value of an investment to one piece of information or price and ignore the company’s fundamentals. Worse yet, anchoring can quickly lead to confirmation bias, having you look for additional information that aligns with your anchored belief in the stock.

Investing in the stock market on your own can quickly bring out these biases, impacting your investment portfolio. By recognizing when you are being influenced, you can better address the bias and ensure that your investment decisions are based on rational analysis. If investing on your own may sound too challenging, financial advisors and robo-advisers can lay out an investment strategy that will help you invest for the future and avoid these common psychological traps.

 

Diversification: A strategy to reduce your investment risk

By

Investing has become more popular than ever, with news outlets, online forums, and maybe even your friends and family discussing the next big stock, sector or industry to invest in. Investing entirely in one thing can be tempting when all you hear about are high returns, but it also means the value of your entire portfolio can drop based on the movement of one stock or sector. Learn more below about how diversifying your investment portfolio can help you manage risks that could impact your returns.

Investing in the stock market always carries two inherent risks that comprise your total risk. The first, called systematic risk, is derived from broad market factors that impact the entire market and are something investors can’t control. These include interest rate changes, inflation increases, war, recessions, and even a pandemic like the world is currently facing. The second, called unsystematic or residual risk, is the risk inherent to the investment in a particular company, industry or market. This can include a new competitor in a company’s space or changing laws or regulations on an entire industry that impacts all the businesses within it. While investors cannot entirely remove unsystematic risk, they can take steps to reduce it and lower the total risk of their investment portfolio.

How do I diversify my investment portfolio?

Diversification is the act of spreading risk across your investments so that when some investments or sectors in your portfolio are performing poorly, you’ll have others performing well. Investors should look at their entire investment portfolio and evaluate the weighting of their investments across companies, industries, sectors and markets. Are most of your investments located in one country? You may want to explore investing in global stocks. Are you invested in too many technology companies? Consider broadening out into other sectors like financial services, energy or consumer staples. By creating what’s called a balanced portfolio, you can minimize the substantial losses you might experience if you were heavily invested in any one stock or market. If you’re having difficulty building a balanced portfolio, you may want to work with a registered financial planner or registered financial advisor to create a portfolio right for you.

Why diversify my investments if they are doing well?

It may be difficult to justify diversifying your investments if they are doing well, but remember that no security or market will altogether avoid downturns. Regardless of the investment, company, industry or market you choose to invest in, there are various unsystematic risks. These include business risk, financial risk, strategic risk and legal and regulatory risk. Each of these can impact your returns. Without diversification of your investments in different markets, industries and companies, your investment returns could feel the full effects of all this risk.

You can’t predict the future, but you can hedge against risk.

Even when you thoroughly research your investments, you still can’t foresee all the risks you may encounter. Diversifying your investment portfolio won’t protect you entirely from losses, however, it can help drive steadier returns in the long run and help you achieve your investment goals.

Robo-advisers: The best way to invest?

By

First launched in the early 2000s, robo-advisers were used as an online interface to assist investment managers in handling their client’s assets efficiently. Since 2008, robo-advisers have become publicly available, providing beginner and experienced investors with a simple and relatively low-cost automated investing service. As with any investment product, it’s essential to understand how a robo-adviser works and if it aligns with your goals, risk tolerance and investing needs before diving right in.

How do robo-adviser’s automate investing?

At the core of any robo-adviser platform are complex mathematical rules and algorithms designed in collaboration with investment managers, financial advisers and data scientists. These algorithms’ common goal is to provide investors with a standardized investing portfolio aligned to their desired risk preference, time-horizon and expected return range. The portfolios can include any mix of securities, including exchange-traded funds, stocks and bonds, which are auto-rebalanced over time to maintain the right amount of risk and diversification. Investors can contribute to the portfolio whenever they like and can change their portfolio risk level as they see fit, but they can’t change the individual investments held within their standardized portfolio.

Robo-adviser fees

Considering robo-advisers do not require an investment manager or financial adviser’s assistance in managing the portfolio or meeting with the client, the fees are generally lower. The fee structure for most robo-advisers includes two main components, an account management fee for using the platform and an investment expense ratio for the securities held within the portfolio.

Is a robo-adviser right for you?

Robo-adviser’s may sound like the ideal investing service, but there are a few considerations to keep in mind before opening an investment account or changing your current investment strategy. When it comes to personalization and risk, robo-advisers are designed to provide a relevant portfolio by asking you a series of pre-determined questions when opening an account to help meet your preferred risk tolerance and investing goals. While this does help to suggest an optimal portfolio, robo-advisers do not compare to the comprehensive and personalized services a registered investment manager or financial adviser can offer. Registered investment professionals can develop a tailored investment strategy that helps you achieve your current financial goals and adjust your investments as your risk tolerance and priorities change in life. Human interaction with a registered investment professional can also grow your understanding of investment products, your investment portfolio and enable you to stay focused on your goals.

Robo-advisers have skyrocketed in popularity, providing many investors with a low-cost, diversified and hassle-free approach to wealth management. If you are interested in a robo-adviser, consider the level of investment guidance you need and whether a standardized portfolio is a right tool for your investing strategy.

Considerations before investing in meme stocks

By

You may have heard or read about a series of select companies discussed heavily on social media and Reddit, surging in value seemingly overnight. Referenced as “meme stocks” in the news and online, these companies are a select but growing assortment whose significant growth in price is fueled by the excitement and hype generated on social media and online forums like Reddit, and may not always accurately reflect underlying fundamentals. While the idea of buying into these companies with the expectation of huge returns may sound enticing, there are a few things you should consider before investing your money.

FOMO can lead you to risk far more than you’re comfortable with

FOMO, or The Fear of Missing Out, is one of the most challenging obstacles investors can face, especially when investment opportunities are championed on social media by seemingly everybody. While some investors have made money from meme stocks, many others lost substantial amounts due to the volatile spikes and dips in their values. As concluded in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, people have a strong tendency to want to avoid losses, and when it comes to investing, that can mean both wanting to get in on the next “big thing” or holding on to a stock that is losing significant value with the hopes that it will change. Before investing in any stock online, contemplate if you’re able to stomach a high level of risk and the possibility you may lose most or all of your money.

Investing in social hype instead of fundamentals can expose you to fraud

Investing in stocks can be a powerful tool to grow your wealth but requires you to do considerable research into the company, the products and services it offers, the experience of its leadership and the industry landscape it competes in. Doing your due diligence enables you to assess whether the company is legitimate, has the potential to grow in value and whether the investment is suitable for you and your risk tolerance.

Online forums for investors to meet up and discuss investment opportunities have led to a blend of both speculation, hype and in some cases, inaccurate analysis. Online forums and social media can also quickly become an echo chamber of a particular positive sentiment towards a stock with little or no fundamental business reasoning. This can result in wild swings of the stock’s price that make it virtually impossible to make sense of the stock’s real value as it no longer corresponds to the company’s performance.  While not all investment opportunities hyped up on social media are fraudulent, scam artists also use this avenue to promote fraudulent investment scams to excited investors.

When it comes to your investing strategy, never let social media channels be your sole source for investing information and research. Before investing in any company, research its fundamentals and legitimacy to avoid the heartache of an unsuitable or, worse yet, fraudulent investment.

Investing in meme stock can derail your investment objectives and financial plan

Developing a financial plan and objectives for your investments is an important first step for any investor. By considering your age, life goals, time horizon, and level of risk tolerance, you can develop a meaningful plan of action that may combine various securities like exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, and stocks to meet your goals. While helping you achieve your goals, a financial plan also helps you evaluate any new investment opportunity against those goals.

Meme stocks are a relatively new phenomenon that can quickly derail your financial plans if you let them. The hype of massive returns echoed by other investors online can blind you to the age-old fact that high returns in the investment world come with higher risk. The speculative nature of these investments and the hype that social media brings to them does not guarantee wealth. If you plan to incorporate meme stocks into your financial plan, seriously consider if you can absorb a loss of some or all of your investment.

The foundation for long-term investing success relies on the core concepts of diversifying your investments, maximizing the power of compounding interest and always sticking to the right level of risk for you. With the rising popularity of meme stocks, it may sound like an appealing way to start investing or a relevant strategy to integrate into your financial plan, but it could end up doing far more harm to you than good.

Learn about the factors to consider when investing in meme stocks →

 

 

Understanding investment accounts

By

Just as it’s important to select the right type and mix of investment products (e.g. cash equivalencies, fixed income securities, equities and investment funds) to meet your financial goals, so too is choosing the appropriate type of account to hold them in. Understanding the different types of accounts available to you can help you maximize your gains and reduce the amount of income taxes you owe. 

You can use several types of investment accounts in Canada that are broadly categorized as either “registered” and “non-registered”.

Non-Registered Investment Accounts

Non-registered investment accounts are the most flexible, with no restrictions on how much you can contribute or withdraw. They can be opened at any financial institution or registered firm.

Interest income in a non-registered account is fully taxed at your marginal tax rate, with some special considerations for dividends and capital gains. Dividends are taxed based on the province you live in, while capital gains and losses are calculated on a net basis with taxes at your marginal rate paid on 50 per cent of its value. While this account may seem like a logical first step for new investors, it’s worth understanding the benefits and characteristics of registered accounts before opening a non-registered account. In order to learn more about the different investing accounts available to Canadians, visit CheckFirst.ca and the Government of Canada website.

Registered Investment Accounts

Tax-Free Saving Accounts (TFSAs)
TFSAs, launched in 2009, have unique features that allow you to shelter your investment gains from most taxes. Without the tax implications found in a non-registered account, investment gains in most cases can be fully realized once withdrawn. As a result, TFSAs are becoming increasingly popular among Canadians.

Another unique feature of TFSAs is the contribution room limit. Every year the Canadian government provides additional contribution room to all Canadians. If you were 18 or older in 2009, you are eligible to contribute the full amount of $75,500; if you were younger than 18 in 2009, your contribution room would have started when you turned 18. For the 2021 tax year, every Canadian 18 and older received an additional $6,000 contribution limit in their TFSA. It’s important that you don’t over contribute to your TFSA however, as the excess amount will be subject to a one per cent per month penalty tax.

Registered Retirement Savings Accounts (RRSP)
RRSPs were introduced to Canadians over 60 years ago in order to encourage and reward them for building a nest egg for retirement. By using them strategically, they can benefit you now and in your retirement. For example, contributions you make to your RRSP allow you to reduce your income tax in a specific year by your marginal tax rate applied to your contribution and, if contributions are invested, can even grow tax-free. Additionally, you can use the money in the RRSP account to purchase or build a first home (Home Buyers Plan) and for post-secondary expenses (Lifelong Learning Plan) tax-free if paid back within 15 years. Once you retire, any withdrawals from your RRSP will be taxed at your retired tax bracket, which in theory should be lower than when you contributed during your working years.

While an RRSP can help you grow your wealth for retirement, special rules do apply. You may only contribute up to 18 per cent of your earned income from the previous year, and if you withdraw funds from the account early, immediate withholding tax is applied and your contribution room is permanently reduced. Once you reach 71, your RRSP is automatically converted to a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) and you can no longer contribute to the account. Instead, you must withdraw a calculated amount each month, which will be taxed at your marginal tax rate. If you withdraw more than the allotted amount, you will be subject to the same withholding taxes as if withdrawn prior to retirement.

When it comes to investing, where you invest is just as important as what you invest in. With a better understanding of the different accounts and their unique benefits and downsides, you may find that one or a mix of different types of accounts can help you better realize your financial goals and grow your wealth for retirement.

How financially fit are you?

By

The New Year has arrived and while health and fitness resolutions easily come to mind, have you considered how financially fit you are? Undue stress from your finances can have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing, but there are several actions you can take right now. Check out our tips to help set out your 2021 financial goals on the right foot!

1. Review and refresh.

Blue Monday gets its name for a reason. The holiday cheer has worn off and your first post-holiday credit card statements have arrived. Check what you spent against your budget and make a plan. The New Year is a fresh start and you can take this opportunity to assess your budget, revise your financial goals and create a plan to repay any debt. CheckFirst offers a wide variety of calculators, quizzes and worksheets that can help you evaluate and set your 2021 budget no matter where you’re starting.

2. Don’t let new goals overwhelm you.

If you’re setting out with new investment goals in 2021, don’t let them consume you. It can be easy to get lost in the sea of investment options, unfamiliar language and complex mathematical equations by yourself. If you’re looking for a crash course in investing that’s taught in plain language and easy to digest, consider the wealth of resources, quizzes and videos at CheckFirst.ca so you pick the right investments for you and your financial goals.

3. Find the right fit. 

The root cause of financial stress can often be linked to a lack of information. If you aren’t working with a financial adviser, take some time to consider it. A relationship with the right financial adviser can help make you a more informed investor who is comfortable with their investment decisions. Before you work with anyone new, always be sure to check their registration and ask key questions to make sure they are right for you. With few exceptions, securities industry professionals are required to be registered with the securities regulator in the jurisdiction where they conduct business. Registration helps protect investors because securities regulators will only register firms and individuals if they are properly qualified, helping you to rest easy.

4. Break up with bad relationships.

Another big source of stress can stem from distrust in your investments or financial advisers. This year, once you’ve evaluated your finances and goals, don’t be afraid to end relationships that aren’t working for you. If an investment, financial partner or financial adviser isn’t providing what you need to feel comfortable and successful, don’t be afraid to speak up. Remember, they’re supposed to work for you.

5. Nothing is set in stone.

While goals can help you clearly define where you want to be, the path to get there isn’t cut and dried. Don’t be afraid to pivot on your financial plan, or change direction throughout the course of 2021 as needed. Your finances should be arranged so as to help you achieve your goals. If something is bringing you undue stress, now is the time to change it!

As you embark on your financial journey in 20121 don’t forget to visit CheckFirst.ca for free, unbiased resources. Wherever you are in your investment journey, CheckFirst is your go-to website for financial knowledge and investing wisely.