RBC Global Corporate Bond Fund
With interest rates hovering near historic lows, fixed income investments have never looked so risky. As interest rates rise, bond prices will be pushed lower, eroding the value of your investment. There are a couple things you can do to protect yourself. One way is to invest in shorter term bonds, which aren’t impacted as much by changes in interest rates. The other option is to invest in high quality corporate bonds which offer higher yields than traditional government bonds.
Read MoreDynamic Global Real Estate Fund
This fund, which until December 2009 was known as the Dynamic Focus+ Real Estate Fund is one of our favourite picks in the real estate sector. Managed by the team of Oscar Belaiche and Tom Dicker, it invests in REITs and other companies that are actively involved in the real estate. They look for “best in class” businesses that have strong balance sheets, are industry leaders, and have management teams that hold a significant ownership stake in the business. The investment philosophy tilts towards value using their “Quality at a Reasonable Price” process.
Read MoreTD U.S. Blue Chip Equity Fund
As the name would suggest, the TD U.S. Blue Chip Equity Fund looks to provide long term growth by investing in medium and large sized “blue chip” companies that are located in the U.S. Managed by Larry Puglia of T. Rowe Price, the fund invests in stocks that have a market capitalization of at least $5 billion. Unlike other “blue chip” funds which tend to be more value focused, this one is managed using a more growth oriented process.
Read MoreMackenzie Universal Health Sciences Capital Class
Ian Ainsworth took over the lead managerial duties of the fund, after long serving manager Wendy Chua resigned from Mackenzie in January of this year. Mr. Ainsworth, an industry veteran, has more than 30 years of investment industry experience under his belt. He has been co-manager on this fund since 2005. In addition to this fund, he is the Co-Lead of Mackenzie’s Growth Team and manages other Mackenzie funds including the Mackenzie Growth Fund and the Mackenzie Founders Fund. He will be supported on this fund by the Mackenzie Growth Team
Read MorePH&N Bond Fund
The weighting of the portfolio has remained relatively consistent over the past six months, with Government of Canada bonds now making up 7.0% of the fund, while corporates are 44%. The exposure to the higher yielding provincial bonds is just under 32% of the fund. The fund’s duration is 5.9 years, which is lower than the DEX Bond Universe duration of 6.6 years. The portfolio is very high quality, holding 89% in bonds that are rated “A” or better.
Read MoreIA Clarington Canadian Conservative Equity Fund
The Fund has been managed by George Frazer and his team at Leon Frazer & Associates Investment Counsel since 1950 using a very value focused approach. The team looks for companies with a demonstrated history of growing dividends paid to investors over time based on their belief that “dividend increases drive growth in both income and capital and offer capital protection in volatile markets.” The team also looks for a history of strong earnings, cash flows, and quality management. Valuation is also a concern as the team focuses only on the stocks that they feel are reasonably priced based on their estimate of value and the growth prospects.
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