Questions?
I have some funds I want to invest for the long term. What type of investments would you buy for me and why would you buy them?
If you want to build wealth, investing in the stock market has proven to be a good way to do it, historically producing some of the best long-term returns. We focus our efforts on selecting equities of blue-chip companies as we believe these give the most reliable returns, growing their revenue and profits and increasing their dividends more consistently than other less seasoned companies. While a company’s stock can fluctuate in value from one year to the next, profit growth builds a company’s underlying value which will drive the stock price higher over time. For those clients who want to limit the yearly fluctuations in value, we add investment grade bonds to an investment portfolio as they typically fluctuate less than equities while delivering consistent income. We stick to what we know, the stock and bond markets, so we don’t invest our clients’ funds in assets such as real estate or cryptocurrency which require other specialty advisors to do it professionally.
I’m now retired, and I don’t get a paycheck anymore. I need the funds I have to live on for the rest of my life, so I don’t want to speculate. How risky are the investments you will make for me?
All investing involves risk, but risk can take on many colors. When living off your investments, the most consequential risks are inflation that erodes your purchasing power, and the possibility of running out of money. Blue chip equities have a record as one of the best hedges against inflation as both profits and dividends tend to grow with inflation, and their track record of long-term returns has been well above inflation. It does mean though you must assume the yearly fluctuations in return that can, on rare occasions, be negative. If you chose to avoid these fluctuations by investing all your funds in assets where principal value is “guaranteed”, such as money market funds or low yielding term deposits because you want to feel secure, you risk being too conservative, achieving a low return and increasing the risk of running out of money. Rather than considering blue chip equities as risky investments, we believe they are one of the best investment vehicles to REDUCE the risks of inflation and premature depletion of assets that all long-term investors face, allowing the peace of mind you seek.
I need a regular amount of funds to live on. How do I get access to my funds?
We will link your bank account to your investment account so we can send you funds electronically on a regular basis. We will ensure the funds are available in your investment account to make any payments, monitoring the cash in your account received from dividends and interest, and selling an investment where necessary to raise the cash required. You don’t need to do a thing. Should anything change on your end, we are a simple email or phone call away.
Where are my investments held and who does the record keeping?
We maintain "separation of duties" opening a third party custodian account for you with a major Canadian financial institution, maintaining the safekeeping of your assets separate from the money management of them. The custodian holds all your assets, collects interest and dividends, sends you monthly statements, and provides tax reporting among other activities. We as your investment counsellor manage the funds by selecting securities, buying and selling them, and send settlement instructions to the custodian. We do not have access to your account directly. We nurture a strong relationship with our custodians, and have the utmost confidence in their fiduciary responsibilities to our clients.
My funds are mainly invested in different types of mutual funds today. Is this something you do?
Mutual funds or pooled funds are a suitable investment for many investors. They give you indirect access to professional management and provide diversification, especially for smaller amounts of funds. They do tend to be more expensive than what we offer which is direct access to a money manager through a “separately managed account”. We buy individual securities for you rather than pooling your funds with other investors, a more personal approach. You see what you own and we can control the realization of any capital gains in sync with your tax position.
If I open an account with you, who will I be dealing with at your firm, and how can I contact you?
You will be assigned a “portfolio manager” who will be doing all the investing for your account, giving you direct access to the decision maker. We do not put a “relationship manager” or salesperson between you and your money as we believe you deserve to talk to the person who will be pulling the trigger on investing your funds. This person and their assistant will be your contact for all aspects of managing your account, including administration by the custodian. You only have to talk to one person and you can contact us by phone directly or by in-person meetings, whichever way you wish.
I’m interested in you firm. What’s the next a step?
The best way is to contact us by phone to have a preliminary discussion about what you are looking for and to see if we are a fit. If you feel we can help you. you can meet with one of our portfolio managers where you would describe your personal financial situation and investment objectives and learn more about Hybridge. There is no required commitment by you at this stage, rather it’s simply an information gathering exercise by both parties to make sure you obtain the best solution for your needs. We are here at whatever stage you are in your investment journey, whether the very start or anywhere along the line.
I have an existing investment account at a broker but am looking for a move. Can you take over the investments?
All your existing securities can be transferred in kind to your new investment management account with us. Our custodian will contact your broker directly to effect transfer in kind, that typically takes two to three weeks. We will record any provided cost base for your securities, and will discuss your tax situation with you to control over time the tax consequences of transitioning from your existing portfolio to the managed portfolio established by us.
I am interested in current events and how these may affect the investment climate. How much input can I have on the investments you make? I’m looking for a long-term relationship rather than a simple transactional connection.
While your investment account is discretionary, meaning you are delegating the investment decision making to us, you have full access to our portfolio manager to discuss views on various markets, to understand the reasoning behind our investment decisions, and to express your thoughts. You are not cut off, rather you are hiring us as an investment professional to provide a service which requires a strong ongoing relationship with you so that we always have a full understanding of your financial situation and investment objectives.