Latest Stock Buy or Sell? Make More Informed Decisions!

Today, John Hood commented about whether ZWK-T, VV-N, VGG-T, EWU-N, ZTL-T, XTR-T, HEP-T, ZWB-T, VGG-T, XSP-T, VGRO-T, ZWC-T, ZCH-T, VTV-N, IHI-N, HCAL-T are stocks to buy or sell.

COMMENT
It's harder this year to find underfunded sectors, making it hard for ETF investors. Many sector rose rapidly starting last November (along with the market). It's hard to find value, but he is not selling assets. He's holding onto all his U.S. assets. His cash and bonds sits at 40%. He expects the market to rise. Also expects U.S. companies to buyback shares and raise dividends, because they sit on mountains of cash. For example, he bought US oil (not Canadian) last fall. Beyond FAANGs, US stocks are fairly valued. He's fine buying a broad market index of the S&P. Be ready for volality; he's been waiting for a 15% pullback in the past 6 months (which hasn't happened).
BUY

Covers Canadian banks. Pays a 5.16% dividend. It's a leveraged play, investing 12% of cash they're bringing in, which allows them a better return and more income. A consideration: ZWB uses a covered call on the Canadian banks to pay roughly the same dividend. He never does leveraged plays, but HCAL is fine.

BUY

Happy to own this, outperforming XLV, for instance. It's diversified. ZUH is another option, because it covers pharmas, hospital management and other areas. IHI, as a hospital provider, is pretty good.

COMMENT

USD equity value ETF to hold within an RRSP: Will I pay US withholding tax? Several value ETFs are around including VTV, VIG, VOOV. Look at ETF.com to compare. These three charge similar ETFs. Re: tax: The US recognizes RRSPs like their IRAs in terms of tax, but the US does not recognize TFSAs. Dividends are low, so the question is, Do you like the sector?

DON'T BUY
Has owned this before. There's so much political interference and a lack of transparency that he doesn't want to own any Chinese stocks. Sure, some companies are performing well, but he is avoiding China. Not for him, though ZCH itself is a good ETF.
COMMENT
A covered call on the entire Canadian market. He tends to use covered calls on sectors. ZWC will give you an enhanced income stream, but its growth is limited.
DON'T BUY
A balanced ETF for a retiree's income portfolio Vanguard has a few such as VGRO, which automatically rebalance. They're popular, but he doesn't use them. He didn't like their performance in RRSPs. Invest only a portion of your portfolio into such a rebalancing ETF; that's okay. Instead, look at covered call ETFs he recommends, because you get the dividend tax credit and capital gains on a sale. Plus a 4-6% dividend yield is very attractive considering the tax consequences in a non-registered account.
STRONG BUY
Hold it forever. He owns A LOT of this. Watch the currency exchange, because it's hedged. He owns hedged and unhedged. XSP protects against the decline in the USD, so that's why he loves this. Great performance.
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Apr 08/21, Up 32%)Note: His 3rd past pick was cash. VGG includes US companies that always increase dividends, quality companies. VGG did very well until last November then lagged, but has recently revivsed as dividend growth returns to the US market. He's happy with it and would add shares.
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Apr 08/21, Up 51%)Note: His 3rd past pick was cash. It comes down to buying at the right. Have a strategy before volatility hits, which is what he did in April 2020. Good returns.
COMMENT
Do you use puts to sell or buy stocks and generate income? He doesn't sell puts for income, because a BMO ETFs already do this for you. Why? His clients don't understand puts. Also, people who do sell puts for income leverage heavily which makes their puts very risky. He never leverages.
BUY
Nothing wrong with this. He's not a gold buff and owns no gold, though. But this is fine for bold buffs.
DON'T BUY
Buyers like its high dividend. But the problem is XTR is a remnant of the old income trusts. Distinguish between return OF capital and a return ON capital (your money) and with XTR there's problem with the latter. He hasn't looked at this for a long time and doesn't care to. Do not fixate on yield. Rather, understand the mechanics of how such yielding stocks or bonds work. Don't accept yields at face value; be suspicious.
DON'T BUY

Never trust yield; look below the surface. As interest rates rise, long-term bonds like this be clobbered. He'd own this only in something like ZAG which also holds short- and medium-term bonds.

BUY
An ETF that holds UK stocks iShares offers country ETFs. The MER is reasonable and its holdings are diversified.