On this page we will be talking about the stocks I own and why I own them. To use the stock chart below, simply enter the ticker symbol of the stock into the field at the top left corner where it says ” enter name or symbol “. Then click on the timeline you want to use on the bottom eg. today or 1w or YTD(year to date).

Low risk portfolio.
Ticker symbol CM
Google finance has this to say about CM:
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) is a diversified financial institution. CIBC was formed through the amalgamation of The Canadian Bank of Commerce and Imperial Bank of Canada. CIBC is a financial institution serving clients in Canada and certain other countries. Through its two business lines, CIBC Retail Markets and CIBC World Markets, it provides a range of products and services to approximately 11 million individual and small business clients, corporate and institutional clients. . These business lines are supported by five functional groups: Administration; Technology and Operations; Corporate Development; Finance, and Risk Management.

I say:
Canadian imperial bank of Canada. One of the oldest banks in Canada, this bank has been in business for well over 100 years. Has paid a quarterly dividend for most if not all it’s life. It’s dividend is one of the largest of all the Canadian banks. I like the Canadian bank stocks because the banking system in Canada is one of the most stable banking systems in the world. These banks post profits in the billions of dollars a year. They are not going anywhere soon. I ownshares of CM

Ticker symbol TLM
Google finance has this to say about TLM:
Talisman Energy Inc. is an independent upstream oil and gas company, which is engaged in the business of exploration, development, production and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Company’s activities are conducted in five geographic segments: North America, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia and Other. North America includes operations in Canada and the United States. The United Kingdom segment includes operations in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Scandinavia includes operations in Norway and Denmark. The Southeast Asia segment includes operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Australia. The Other segment includes operations in Algeria, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as other international areas.

I say:
This company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Pays out dividends on a semi-annual basis, and has done so for many years. I believe that this is a well managed company that will be around for a good long time, as long as oil is the worlds choice of energy. I own shares of TLM

Ticker symbol REI.UN
Google finance has this to say about REI.UN:
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (RioCan) is a closed-end real estate investment trust (REIT) trust. The Company owns and manages a portfolio of shopping centres, with ownership interests in a portfolio of 240 retail properties, including 17 under-development, containing an aggregate of over 59 million square feet

I say:
Real estate is one of the safest investments out there right now, and Riocan is one of the few companies that’s managed to hold onto it’s value through these tough economic times. They even managed to maintain their dividend while other companies were suspending them. This says volumes to me about the quality of it’s management team. I own shares of REI.UN

Ticker symbol BP

From the BP website:

BP is one of the world’s largest energy companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items. Our business is about finding, producing and marketing the world’s natural energy resources.

I say:

The world will be counting on oil and gas as it’s main energy source for the foreseeable future. This company is global in every sense of the word. Safe, stable, and pays a good quarterly dividend. What more can we want?  I own shares in BP

Ticker symbol IMO

Google finance has this to say about IMO:

Imperial Oil Limited (Imperial) is a Canada-based integrated oil company. The Company is engaged in the exploration for, and production and sale of, crude oil and natural gas; refining and marketing of petroleum products, and supplying petrochemicals. The Company’s operations are conducted in three main segments: Upstream, Downstream and Chemical. Upstream operations include the exploration for, and production of, conventional crude oil, natural gas, upgraded crude oil and heavy oil. Downstream operations consist of the transportation, refining and blending of crude oil and refined products, and the distribution and marketing thereof. The Chemical operations consist of the manufacturing and marketing of various petrochemicals. As of December 31, 2008, Exxon Mobil Corporation owned approximately 69.6% of the outstanding shares of the Company.

I say:

This is Canada’s largest player in the energy sector. Their dividend is small right now because they are reinvesting heavily for the future. Look for this stock to rise steadily over the next few years and then the dividend will soar. I own shares of IMO

Medium risk portfolio.

Ticker symbol ERF.UN

From the Enerplus website:

Enerplus is an income-oriented investment in the oil and gas industry. Established in 1986, we are one of Canada’s oldest and largest independent oil and gas producers. We have built a balanced and diversified portfolio of producing properties across western Canada and the United States with a focus on large oil and gas resource plays that offer growth potential as well as predictable production and repeatable development opportunities. We create value for our investors by developing early-stage resource plays as well as through development drilling, optimization, and acquisitions on later-stage assets. This portfolio mix enhances the sustainability of our business over the long term. Through our discipline of paying a portion of our cash flow to investors each month, we offer an attractive investment that provides both yield and growth.

I say:

This is an income trust that pays a monthly dividend. They have continued to pay this dividend right through the 2008-2009 recession. They are growing instead of shrinking and these are all good things for a company to be doing in these times. The reason it’s not in my low risk portfolio is that when the new changes to income trusts roll out in 2011 they might not be able to maintain as high a dividend rate. I own shares in ERF.UN

Ticker symbol QSR.UN

From the priszm website:
Priszm Income Fund owns one of the largest operators of quick service restaurants in the world. The Fund holds approximately a 60 per cent interest in Priszm Limited Partnership, which owns and operates more than 400 KFC™, Taco Bell™ and Pizza Hut™ restaurants in seven provinces across Canada. Priszm is Canada’s largest independent restaurant operator and the world’s largest KFC franchisee.Priszm is also one of the world’s leaders in multi-branding, which combines two or more brand concepts in one restaurant, providing customers with greater selection and allowing the Fund to benefit from shared real estate, reduced construction costs, expanded day parts and higher sales volumes. Currently, over 100 locations are multi-branded. As an operating trust Priszm pays cash distributions to unitholders based on the cash flow of the restaurants, allowing Fund investors to benefit from cost efficiencies, earnings growth and revenue growth. The restaurants under Priszm serve 1.5 million customers a week and employ approximately 9,000 people.

I say:

When times are good people want to eat out. KFC is one of the most popular fast food, take home foods in north america. As the economy gets better this income trust will pay bigger and bigger dividends. Again being a trust I’m not how well this company will do in 2011 but it’s my opinion that its worth owning now and it will continue to be worth owning later. I own shares of QSR.UN

High risk portfolio

I only own 2 companies in this portfolio Oilsand Quest Ticker symbol BQI and Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust Ticker symbol LRT.UN

Oilsands Quest is a Calgary Alberta based company that owns the lease rights to a huge area in northern Saskatchewan. Right across the border from the Suncor and syncrude oil sands properties. This puts them in a good position to be the leaders of the next oil sands boom. When this boom happens, nobody is really sure but if and when it does, I will be ready to cash in on my share. I own shares of BQI

Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust Owns apartment buildings all across Canada. They where flying high before the crash in Oct. 2008. Unfortunately their Fort Macmurray  properties have been hit hard by the downturn in activity in that area. They are aggressively trying to sell off some of their assets to try and stay in business. Hopefully they will be successful because when Fort Macmurray comes back they could be huge. I’ve lost a lot of value in this stock over the last year, but i’m not giving up on it. I own shares of LRT.UN