Our meeting of January 11, 2022 was very engaging. We welcomed two new members, Carlo Viola and Don McInnes.
Everyone participated in our discussions which covered many subjects affecting the economy, the markets, and ultimately our portfolios. Some of our discussions covered inflation and resulting interest rate hikes which impact the market; the drop in technology stocks and the rise of the banking industry; Omicron and its effect on staffing and ultimately the profitability of companies; Political challenges and potential conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine and China; and climate change.
This is a summary of our portfolio discussions and ultimate results:
Shopify – Shopify has been going down recently and is presently trading at about $1400.00. This holding represents 5% of our portfolio.
Decision: Hold and watch our present position.
Pfizer – We discussed the advantages of buying Pfizer based on its commercialization and future plans. This led to discussions regarding purchasing an ETF Pharma instead. We looked at IYH (Blackrock), ZUH (BMO), IHI (Blackrock) and the possibility of finding an ETF with high holdings in Pfizer, Moderna and Merck.
Decision: Monitor Pfizer for a few months before deciding on whether to purchase it.
Manulife – We discussed the advantages of holding Manulife despite its long-term debt. It is a steady investment with a good dividend (5.1%). This is beneficial for our portfolio, where we do not hold any insurance companies and overall it has a low yield.
Decision: Purchase 1000 shares
Below is a list of ten starter stocks from Motley Fool for discussion at our next meeting.
Starter Stock Recommendations from Stock Advisor
Traits of a Starter Company
When Stock Advisor thinks of what makes a Starter Stock, it thinks of seven characteristics:
- Green Circle: Like a beginner’s ski slope; easy to grasp
- Room to Grow: Opportunities to expand worldwide
- High Confidence: Has strong potential to beat the market
- Track Record: Bold, proven history of success
- Community-Happy: Generates positive discussion among Motley Fool members
- Innovative Culture: Marches to the beat of its own drummer
- Great People: Talented partners; exemplary corporate ethos
The following is the list of ten 2022 stocks that Stock Advisor thinks fits this description.
Canadian Stocks
- Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX:ATD)
- Brookfield Asset Management (TSX:BAM.A); (NYSE:BAM)
- CN Rail (TSX:CNR); (NYSE:CNI)
- Constellation Software (TSX:CSU)
- TMX Group (TSX:X)
U.S. Stocks
- Autodesk (NASDAQ:ADSK)
- Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B)
- Mercadolibre (NASDAQ:MELI)
- NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)
- PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL)
Removals from 2021 List
- Brookfield Infrastructure (TSX:BIP.UN)
- Mastercard (NYSE:MA)
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 