Hi, Pat: I would like advice on a holding of mine that I am unsure what to do with. It is an ETF from BMO called BMO S&P/TSX Laddered Preferred Share Index ETF. Thanks so much in advance for your guidance/thoughts on this matter. I really do appreciate reading all of your publications.

BMO S&P/TSX Laddered Preferred Share Index ETF, $10.93, symbol ZPR on Toronto (Units outstanding: 90.6 million; Market cap: $990.3 million; www.etfs.bmo.com), holds Canadian floating-rate preferred shares. Issuers include Bank of Montreal, Enbridge, BCE, TransCanada and Canadian Utilities.

The fund’s MER is 0.45%, and it currently… Read More

Hi Pat: May I please have your opinion on the Flaherty & Crumrine Investment Grade Fixed Income Fund and the Blue Ribbon Income Fund? Many thanks.

Flaherty & Crumrine Investment Grade Fixed Income Fund, $12.36, symbol FFI.UN on Toronto (Units outstanding: 9.1 million; Market cap: $112.5 million; www.bromptongroup.com), mainly holds preferred shares of U.S. companies.

Firms in the banking, insurance, utilities and financial services industries make up a combined 87.7% of the… Read More

Stable post-conversion payouts are a plus

FORT CHICAGO ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. $11.72 (Toronto symbol FCE.UN; Units outstanding: 143.8 million; Market cap: $1.7 billion; SI Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 8.5%) owns and operates energy pipelines and processing plants across North America. One of its major holdings is a 50% interest in… Read More

These trusts aim to maintain their payouts

FORT CHICAGO ENERGY PARTNERS L.P. $10.11 (Toronto symbol FCE.UN; Units outstanding: 140.7 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; SI Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield: 9.9%) owns and operates energy pipelines and processing plants across North America. One of its major holdings is a 50% interest in… Read More

Innergex plans to convert

INNERGEX POWER INCOME FUND $10.74 (Toronto symbol IEF.UN; Shares outstanding: 29.4 million; Market cap: $315.8 million; SI Rating: Extra Risk; Dividend yield 9.3%) plans to convert to a corporation by merging with Innergex Renewable Resources (Toronto symbol INE). Innergex Power unitholders will get 1.46 shares… Read More