RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Really Don't Get ItJayBanks,
In general most bullboard are actually that - not too much useful information.
Re: MAL, I used to work there. I wouldn't recommend them. Their 4 Qtr should be awful. Their price should be falling but they have a share buyback program. In the longer run they should be do well but I not sure when that we will be. I got a few hundred shares but I keep thinking I should sell.
I owned LUX for so long that I don't recall when I bought it. I have lost money.
Speaking of value destroyers, I own a bunch of GWA. It should do well in the future but I have said that before. They shoud be starting production in their mine in a couple of months. Buy at your own risk.
The business development banks have good yields but I sold FSK (US) a while back. I don't know how interest rates will effect them and their lending base.
I have limited exposure to the US - under 8%. I will only buy more if the Canadian $ strengthen significantly.
Re: EIT - yeah they have been on a down slope - I hope get a good yield and sell before it drops too much - only 1.5% of the portfolio.
ETF's - the lazy man/women/other way to invest. The covered calls do well when the market goes sideways or down because they get the call premiums and dividends and the call is rarely exercised. Plus they will have a portfolio of stocks. Like ZWU (utilities) - nice dividend. You give up some upside versus owing the individual stocks but I beleive the upside is limited for a few years.
PRM also has a covered call strategy.
I got lucky on my investments in blue chip stocks. I started moving out GICs and mutual funds two years ago. Anything I bought in 2020 went up +20%. I had FN, sold it at nice profit.
The nice part about the blue chips is that the dividends tend to go up every year and overtime the capital appreciation should be at least the market sector increase. I find a general rule that works is that you invest in companies that you hate dealing with(they usually have the cusotmers by short and curlies - banks, insurance companies, telecos, utilities.
Like you I am favouring utilities. The analyst seem to think AQN has the greatest upside - the yield is OK at 4.8% buy CPX does better. CPX says that they are going do about a 5% increase in their dividend latter on in the yield. Fortis always comes up as a buy but the yield is a litte too low for me. At this point my purchases are more of a defensive nature because of the potential for market crashes.
I am also invested in a few REITS - SGR.UN and NWH.UN have done really well. I had BTB.UN but got out it. Re: CHE.UN - I initially took at hit when they cut their dividend. I quadrupled down and bought at the bottom - recovered my losses and an 8% yield is nice. I have been selling some to reduce my exposure to it.
I have started to buy healthcare - SIA mainly. The 6% yield is good and it is growth business. Up to now I was avoiding the sector due to covid.
I got really lucky on telecos - I bought Shaw and BCE. I just sold the last of my $haw.
O&G looks like it will run for a while. I don't know how long this Russia conflict will go on for but it will certainly help North American stock prices. Russia has 10% of world oil exports and send lots of gas to Europe - I think Germany is regretting shutting down its nuclear plants. I had ALA and RWN a couple years back - sold it bought ENB, PPL and KEY. Sould most the KEY when the yield got below 6%. The yield on PPL is now below 6% so I am thinking selling some of it.
Also, I find the analysts recommendations almost always lag reality. I look for ignored blue chips - I bought a bunch of MFC in September because it just seemed to be ignored and it looked good. Two or three months later the analysts start pumping it. The same happened with IGM and AQN. But since the tech market imploded everyone is shifting to value stocks and nothing is being ignored.
I'll look at the stocks you recommended at the end of your post however I am reluctant to buy risker stocks do to the fact that I tend to lost money on them - but at the wrong time and sell at the wrong time. My track record is pretty consistent.