Horizons’ one-stop dividend ETF a winner

Ready-made Canadian dividend portfolio

There are two ways to invest in an income portfolio. The first is to build it yourself (or have your advisor do it) by accumulating high-quality dividend-paying securities such as BCE, Fortis, TC Energy, some REITs, and similar securities. The second option is to pick one off the shelf, in the form of a ready-made mutual fund or ETF portfolio. There are lots from which to choose.

My experience has been that a carefully constructed portfolio will provide a better return over time. But that involves more work and is more expensive than purchasing a single fund. If one-stop shopping is your preference, here is an ETF to consider.

Horizons Active Cdn Dividend ETF (TSX: HAL)
Recent price: $19.30
Annual payout: $0.52 (trailing 12 months)
Yield: 2.8%
Risk rating: Moderate
Website: www.horizonsetfs.com

The security: This is an actively managed ETF that invests in a portfolio of North American securities (mainly Canadian) that pay above-average dividends. Guardian Capital acts as the sub-advisor for the fund, using a proprietary model that screens stocks on the basis of dividend growth, payout ratio, and sustainability.

Why I like it: The portfolio is well-diversified. Blue-chip stocks include Royal Bank, Enbridge, TC Energy, and Brookfield Asset Management. But there are also several smaller, high-yielding companies such as Capital Power, Summit Industrial Income REIT, and Parkland Fuel Corporation.

The portfolio avoids over-concentration in any one sector and is not a mirror image of the S&P/TSX Composite by any means. Recently, Financial Services was the largest sector, at 19.4%, compared with 32% for the Index. Utilities were next at 17.9%, compared to 8.1% for the Index. Industrial Services accounted for 14.9% of the portfolio (10.1% for the Index), while the Real Estate weighting was 12.8% versus 3.6% for the TSX.

The end result is a portfolio that is highly sensitive to interest rates.

Performance: This interest sensitivity has contributed to the fund’s recent strong performance. Although the Bank of Canada stood pat, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board cut its key rate three times last year and that pushed down commercial rates both in the States and here.

That helped to boost the performance of this ETF. The year-to-date return to Dec. 31 was 27%, outperforming the S&P/TSX Composite. Since inception in 2010, the ETF has generated an average annual return of just over 9%. And for the past two years, the fund has won the Fundata FundGrade A+ Award for outstanding performance.

Distribution policy: Payments are made quarterly. They had been running at around $0.12 per unit until the October payment, which was just over $0.14. If that were to be maintained over the next 12 months, the yield would be about 3.1%. However, to be on the conservative side, I have used the trailing 12-month distributions for the yield calculation.

Risks: The stock market. This is an all-equity portfolio, so if the market takes a hit, the value of the fund will decline. However, the defensive nature of the portfolio suggests the fund will fare better than the broad market in a downturn.

Key metrics: The fund was launched in February 2010 and had $53.4 million in assets under management as of Feb. 7. The management fee is 0.55%, plus tax.

Who it’s for: This is a useful choice for investors looking for a well-managed, quality Canadian dividend portfolio.

How to buy: The fund trades on the TSX, but volume is low – about 8,000 units per day over the past year. I suggest you enter a limit order and be patient.

Summing up: This is a good choice for income-oriented investors who don’t want to build their own portfolio. Ask your financial advisor if it is suitable for you.

Gordon Pape is one of Canada’s best-known personal finance commentators and investment experts. He is the publisher of The Internet Wealth Builder and The Income Investor newsletters, which are available through the Building Wealth website.

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Notes and Disclaimer

The foregoing is for general information purposes only and is the opinion of the writer. Securities mentioned carry risk of loss, and no guarantee of performance is made or implied. This information is not intended to provide specific personalized advice including, without limitation, investment, financial, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Always seek advice from your own financial advisor before making investment decisions.