Blog
The other side of risk
There may be no word discussed more in the world of investing than “risk”. Risk means many different things to different people. To some, it represents how much a given investment might fluctuate in a given day, month, or year. To others, it represents the chance an investment might lose its value entirely. A third option is that risk represents the chance an investment or portfolio will suffer a permanent loss of capital that will never be recouped. At Baskin Wealth Management we typically discuss risk as the latter; and we believe it possible to significantly reduce the risk of permanently eroding one’s capital through diversification, wise asset allocation, and owning high quality investments.
New Tax-Free First Home Savings Account – A faster way to save for that down payment!
In its 2022 Budget this past Spring, the Federal Government announced a new account to help first time homebuyers save for a down payment on their first home. While this Tax-Free First Home Savings Account (FHSA) will not be available until sometime in 2023, no time like the present to beginning planning.
Why we are buying an oil company
Why we are buying an oil company Not that long ago, I wrote a blog explaining why we don’t own oil companies. We recently purchased shares of Canadian Natural Resources, one of the largest Canadian oil sands producers, for many [...]
An Ernest Opinion
A compounder thesis for Brookfield Corporation
Last December, Brookfield Corporation (BN) listed its asset management business into an independent company called Brookfield Asset Management (BAM), in essence separating Brookfield’s capital (Brookfield Corporation) from the third-party capital managed by Brookfield. The naming can be confusing, so in this blog, BN will refer to Brookfield Corporation, while BAM refers to Brookfield Asset Management.
ESG & Canadian Energy
In recent years, it has become common for companies to include a section on Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) during investor calls and presentations. As an example, here is a slide from RioCan explaining their initiatives on ESG: I usually glaze [...]
The bottom line for big tech
The recent underperformance of the so-called “FAANG” stocks has led some investors to question whether a strategy of owning these large technology companies remains sound. Ernest outlines why the long term prospects for these companies remains attractive.
Media Appearances
Barry Schwartz on BNN’s The Street: TSX top performers don’t pay dividends, but reinvest
Barry Schwartz joins BNN's The Street to discuss the best performing stocks on the TSX over the past 10 years.
Barry Schwartz on BNN’s The Street: Look to own companies that will benefit from this population surge
Barry Schwartz joins BNN's The Street to talk about Teck Resources, and also discuss the growing population in Canada.
Barry Schwartz on BNN – Market Outlook
Barry discusses his outlook for the markets.
Outlook
Monthly Newsletter – May 2023
The good news – on average, we are living longer and healthier lives. On the flip side – we need our savings to last as long as we do meaning we may need more. How long we live is one of the key determinants of how much savings are required to maintain our lifestyle in retirement but there are others that are equally important. In this month’s newsletter, David outlines these and explains how we work with our clients to increase the likelihood of achieving their goals.
Monthly Newsletter – April 2023
Many of our clients and, for that matter, many people in general, are asking important questions like – Will there be a recession or, when will interest rates start to come down? These are important and the answers will certainly be important in determining how well an investment portfolio will do in 2023, however, the answers are highly uncertain. In this month’s newsletter, David argues that there is another question that is more important in terms of managing your investments can be answered with a higher degree of certainty.
Monthly Newsletter – March 2023
Like you, I am carrying nicely printed pieces of plastic in my wallet. The green ones are “worth” $20. Well, that is to say, you can exchange them for $20 of other stuff; and you can pay your taxes with them. The value of the plastic, as plastic, is of course pretty much zero. It was not always this way with money. David explains these in this month’s newsletter.
Wealth Management
New and Improved – Savings plans get even better
The past year has seen the addition of a new registered plan aiming to help first-time home buyers, as well as increased annual contribution limits for both the Tax Free Savings Account and the Registered Retirement Savings Plan driven by inflation. In light of these changes, this article will provide an update of the various registered savings plans available in Canada.
Getting Wealthy and Staying Wealthy
Everyone worries about money. Daniel Kahneman, a behavioural economist and winner of the Nobel in economic science once said “Money does not buy you happiness, but lack of money certainly buys you misery”. Money worries are the greatest source of stress, more than work, personal health and relationships.
Don’t Hesitate; Just Designate
Designating a beneficiary on your registered accounts is one of the most important decisions in estate planning. By designating a beneficiary, you inform the financial institution of your plans for your estate after your death. While it is a simple act requiring little in the way of paperwork, it can do a great deal of heavy lifting in establishing your wishes for your estate and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes when you die.
Podcasts
Podcast – May 26, 2023
Barry Schwartz and Ernest Wong kick off this episode with a discussion about AI and Nvidia as well as stock price volatility, then move on to talk about the opportunity in Brookfield Corporation. Next, the lacklustre results of the Canadian Banks and then it is the feature discussion...CCL Industries. CCL is the largest label maker in the world and is one of the greatest capital allocators in North America (that you may never have heard of).
Podcast – May 12, 2023
This podcast delivers in just over 30 minutes a hot, tasty and fresh take on Domino's Pizza. Domino's stock soared during 2020/2021 but has pulled back significantly on pizza fatigue. We think the long-term growth thesis is unchanged and we look for brighter days ahead as shareholders. Check it out!
Podcast – May 1, 2023
All aboard! Grab your ticket, sit back and enjoy the relaxing ride as you learn all about the Canadian Railroads: Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway. Canadian Railroads are such great businesses. The growing population, the geography, the resources – perfect set up for years of growth.