Stockchase Opinions

Daniel Straus HBP S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF HXT-T BUY Apr 05, 2024

Older EFT with lots of history. Very low fees (perhaps cheapest in Canada). Does not pay distributions, good for capital appreciation. Overall, a great product. 

$56.800

Stock price when the opinion was issued

E.T.F.'s
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COMMENT
An inverse ETF such as XIV-N might be leveraged -- and he will never touch leveraged funds. XIV-N was actually liquidated as investors lost 90% of their investment. He thinks HXT-T is non-leveraged. You can be on the right side of the market, yet still lose money on a leveraged fund. The leveraged funds are really for day traders only.
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Oct 18/18, Up 9%) At the time they were feeling pretty good about Canada and they still are. Total return swap. Derivative contracts. The cheapest ETF in Canada at only 0.03% MER. Because of the uncertainty around its derivative structure its hard to say if its tax efficiency will cary forward in exactly the same way.
COMMENT

HXT-T vs. XIU-T. They have basically identical holding but one pays a dividend so has different tax treatment. He is indifferent. In a TFSA, there is no reason to not to use the XIU-T.

COMMENT

XIU has a slightly higher MER. HXT does not distribute the income but is capitalized into the portfolio holdings. It makes it a capital gain than dividend income. The redemption cost is also a factor. Would prefer HXT all things considered.

COMMENT
Returns are very similar. A broader TSX exposure do beat large caps, and other times it's the opposite. When banks and energy does well, HXT does better. HXT has a slightly better tax structure.
COMMENT
XIC is slightly different because it's capped, but will pay distributions. HXT does not pay, but compounds gains within the ETF.
COMMENT
HXT or XIC. HXT has little or no capital distribution - gains are compounded inside so little extra tax paid. XIC has a slightly different makeup and distributes gains to unit holders.
WEAK BUY
Earnings growth only, no distributions.

Total return ETF. Not based on an index. Done on a swap basis instead. Takes the theoretical distributions and puts them into the price of the stock, so there is no distribution.

WEAK BUY
No distributions, so does a sale trigger a capital gain or loss instead of dividend income?

Any sale triggers either a capital loss or gain. It depends on the election you made with CRA on your exact tax treatment. Capital gains are the most efficient tax treatment. 
 
Benefit of CRA and dividends only comes from Canadian companies. So, even if you have an ETF that pays a distribution that comes from European or American companies, that dividend is treated as income even though it comes through a Canadian ETF.

He very much likes the Global X series of corporate class ETFs. They give you broad exposure to markets but don't have those distributions, so they're a bit more tax-efficient. Now, there are some additional costs in there to create those structures. As well, it really depends on your tax rate whether they're a really big benefit to an individual. More benefit to those in higher tax brackets than in lower ones.