with Alphanumeric strings attached

Madam X fondles a fifty while early spring sunshine streams through our studio windows. We surreptitiously toss the occasional glance in her direction.

Her bright coral nails gleam as she flicks her thumb against her finger and watches a gold coin pivot and twirl…We can almost see it… Of course… it’s virtual.

“Bet it’s a Bitcoin” we whisper in unison. A Bitcoin sells at $24,000.00 a pop.

Naturally, we know Bitcoin is only a digital asset that looks like numerous lines of codes. The codes contain multiple conditional statements. A Bitcoin wallet is an alphanumeric string – so there!

Blockchain, the system that begets Bitcoin, requires a shocking energy use, really bad for the planet. Too Bad!

 

BANKS

Banks have long been one of the anchors in our various portfolios and totally ignorable for years as they loll about like bonds.  In fact we regard them as similar but better than bonds. They yield delightful dividends. Lately, however, banks have stirred and begun charting charming upward diagonals. Bank of Montreal for instance has almost doubled this year. (Always buy the Big Bank that is doing the worst).

 

FINTECHS

Goeasy, a fintech, has more than tripled this year to around $125/share; yes, now in the realm of Big Bank prices and it even offers a decent dividend. Goeasy’s specialty is loans and leasing –furniture, houses, etc.

MOGO, a virtual fintech, now bouncing around $10/share, offers digital solutions for consumer’s financial health, with free monthly credit scores and personal loans. Just sign up, get a $5 bonus and start buying fractions of Bitcoin instead of air-miles! Mogo’s MogoCrypto, owns 20% of Coinsquare, a trading platform to trade digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum & Litecoin.

 

Madam X adores hearing financial scuttlebutt, amusing call symbols, and hot stock suggestions. For disclosure purposes, we, or Madam X probably own a few of the above mentioned stocks, or not. Go ahead; ignore her thoughts, insights and admonitions. She is utterly unqualified to be dispensing such observations. To be succinct; you must do your own research.

Magic Cookies

A cookbook, Sweet Mary Jane, jumped off the shelf at Indigo as the perfect gift for a friend who makes delectable desserts with beatific buzz, deep relaxation or utter hilarity depending on the style of cannabis and cookie. We understand how the reward of a 500% mark up bakes in a surprising sufficiency of pocket money.  Madam X adores promoting the entrepreneurial spirit along with the joys of product testing.

The Biteable and The Bling – cannabis companies

Madam X discovers brownies and her choice of bud can be delivered weekly to her door.

At Leafly.ca an array of bud styles and comestibles like Cosmic Cacao Peppermint cookies $20, billed as quality fuel for athletes and, of course… Granpaws cannabinoid, hip and joint formula dog treats for our canine buddies!

Kushqueen.shop has amusing diamante weed earrings, sun glasses, bongs and buds.

Tokyo Smoke happens to be our favourite local coffee shop.Last week she returned from coffee break with the following high style: a pink quartz pipe, small iridescent grinder cards, 24K gold rolling papers and an elegant incense holder.

High on Weed Stocks

Madam X was chatting at cocktails when her guru sidled up and whispered in her ear, “Up 1200 percent on WEED and 800 on APH.”

Madam X pivoted, “It may be cultural appropriation but… ‘Me Too’. The same only different.”

This long period of semi legitimacy and greater access has allowed the amazing growth of several companies now muscling about the market. Some power houses in the casual consumption zone are Canopy Growth, WEED, Aphria APH and Aurora ACB.

An interesting choice might be Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp, CBW.  CBW is funding the world’s largest grow op in Cobourg Ontario. For this they will take 49.9% of the profit. Of course, you will do your own research.  Logic compels Madam X to tuck some CBW into her current bouquet of grass stocks and will mellow out waiting for the profit and sharing to begin.

Madam X paces the studio, hands on hips, gazing out the window, high heels tap the floor. She pivots making her crystal earrings chime.                                                                    “Just think”, she murmurs wryly “had we put all our money into shares of the Toronto Stock Exchange, we would have almost doubled our money in five years.   Of course,” she winks,    “I have a small bias toward my namesake…”

 The Toronto Stock Exchange is a stock and listed as (X-TSE). Can you imagine? X now trades on or about $75.00 each with a reasonable dividend of about 2.6%.

Madam X, we believe, is not actually for sale.

Sounding Cymbals

My darlings anyone with a scintilla of sense knows the market has been spinning toward a tumble.  She counts, flashing polished, blood red nails.

• Quantitative easing allowed everyone to borrow money (or get in debt) for almost nothing.
• Business booms
• Full employment means wage demand rises
• The stock market soars
• Loan rates rise
• The price of the US dollar is marked down to make goods more enticing.
• Global debt rises, US debt triples
• To up that cocaine level, the Trumpster cuts taxes – damn the poor people! They just want accessible stuff.
• The market goes wild then begins to topple

Listening

She sips some wine, listens to each stock and peruses her holdings. We, at Stylish Stocks still hold banks and interesting tech stocks and have sold, as always, half of any stock that had doubled. We doubled up on bond-like stocks that rarely change price but have a yummy dividend.  All this fashionable editing has left us with a stash of cash in our TD online portfolio and a sense of smug virtue. But how much fun is that?

Balancing

We love danger and playing with the dark side. We kept her favourite gambling ETF, (GAMR) and, of course a bouquet of cannabis stocks both medicinal and fun.

And, Oh, I nearly forgot – renewable energy. We like a nice balance of good and evil.

 

                      Madam X adores hearing financial scuttlebutt, amusing call symbols, and hot stock suggestions.                                              For disclosure purposes, we or Madam X probably own a few of the abovementioned stocks or not. 

Go ahead; ignore Madam’s thoughts, insights and admonitions. She is utterly unqualified to be dispensing such observations.          To be succinct; YOU MUST DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

Madam X vowed she would share her findings on Flow-Through Shares with her readers but she thinks it all might be a teensy bit technical for umm… most. We have persevered, taken clear information and possibly obscured this clarity with context.

Too Much Money?

Let us pretend we make too much money.

We, or our accountant, find that if we could write $20,000.00 off our income, our taxes would be lower. Enter Flow Through Shares. Now, Flow-Through Shares may be flowing thick on the ground but Madam X has never knowingly mired a stiletto in such a fashion, she likes the high ground, yet we know they exist and could be found in a pinch.

Diamonds Dahling

Let’s imagine a geological type from DeBeers Diamonds is tooling along Blue Sky Road, exercising his Harley when he notices an odd land formation. He slows, turns to his blonde, non-gender specific companion and exclaims, “Looks like a diamond pipe to me!”

The blonde removing helmet and shaking out curls sighs. “Why is it always about you. And your company would have to buy the land, make test drills and assess the findings. Could take months or years. It’s all too mind-numbing.”

“Flow-Through Shares”, offers the geological type phlegmatically.

“Speaking of DeBeers”, yawns the blonde, “let’s find a dark pub and have some.”

Fast Forward Two Years – same cast

“The technicals on Blue Sky Diamond mines are looking hot. Could have been a dog.”

“I love it when you talk technical, Honey”, croons our blonde doctor who now sports dark, chemically enhanced roots. “You, who lured me into Flow-Through.”

“But you have been receiving technical progress reports form DeBeers on Blue Sky since the program began”, exclaims the geologist, easing out of his leathers.

“Too mind-numbing. Leave the leathers on. I bought $20,000.00 worth of Blue Sky and they are shooting sparks, but under the contract I have to hold the Shares until next month”, pouts the doctor. “They’ve soared on early reports.”

“Bummer. The good part is: you can write off the $20,000.00 from your income but the capital cost base of a Flow-Through Share is deemed to be zero so you pay capital gains on the full price of the share when you sell it.”

“Luckily”, the brunette/blonde undulates just beyond the geologist’s reach, “I pay tax on only 50% of the capital gains as if it were a non Flow Through. Are you happy to see me or is that a big diamond in your pocket?”

Dallying with Donations

“If you donate your Flow Through Shares to a registered charity, a disposition is deemed to have occurred and you get a tax receipt for the value of the stock”, the geological type flexes his arm watching the tattooed diamonds dance. “Iridescent tattoos are coming along. I imagine your charity will love you. The hospital?”

“So, I write off my original investment, pay capital gains on the full price of the stock when I make the donation and then get a tax receipt for the value of the stock at the time of the donation. At the end of the day, maybe my real cost is $5,000.00. The hospital? No way. The Humane Society needs the money. I’ll take hamsters over humans any day.”

“You’re just a self promotion machine! Thinking of diamond studded collars?“

“Trying to think of how to keep this diamond in my navel.”

Further research reveals the well established DeBeers would not raise money by issuing Flow Through. Flow through shares are for junior, or cash shy, exploration companies.

Cryptocurrencies:

so Dangerous; so Alluring.

Danes do it. Fins do it. Even Argentinians do it. Let’s do it…using stocks of course.

Remember that Madam X believes in safe trading.

Spending your Cryptocoins

Once you have saved a suitable stash of cryptocoins that have reached a mind-bending value, Madam X recommends a snappy purchase of a luxury car or some fabulous jewellery. This will bestow on you future bragging rights should the coin value crash.
…………….

Another way to spend your new-found wealth is a celebratory supper at KFC. Yes, Kentucky Fried will accept cryptocurrency, specifically, Bitcoin, as payment for a bucket of fried chicken. This includes 10 chicken tenders with waffle fries, gravy and two dips.

On the dark side, of course, this $20.00 purchase would set you back $40.00 due to a $20.00 transaction fee.

Practice Safe Trading

Visa Inc. has approved a prepaid card backed by the Cryptocurrency, Monaco, as the word’s largest payments network digs more deeply into digital currencies. Cryptocurrencies are crying for the legitimacy of Visa as they could be converted into fiat money and accepted at the 44 million merchant locations in the network.

Madam X considers shares of Visa, V,  even though technically they are a tad expensive. But being bold, Madam X plans to take a small bite.

Madam X takes her name, X, from the symbol of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Mid January 2018

Madam X adores hearing financial scuttlebutt, amusing call symbols, and hot stock suggestions.

For disclosure purposes, we, or Madam X probably own a few of the above mentioned stocks, or not.

Go ahead; ignore Madam’s thoughts, insights and admonitions. She is utterly unqualified to be dispensing such observations. To be succinct; you must DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

So Strange, So Powerful, So HUGE

The Bizarre

The Chinese tech incubator, GoGo Chicken, is a facial recognition and blockchain system for organic chickens.

Free-range chicks get GPS bracelets at first peep. Customers who pre-order can view their choice chick via mobile as well as track its diet and exercise in real-time. Madam X finds this Chick Check rather creepy.

The Fake

Companies that incorporate blockchain into their names do so in anticipation of a price jump in their stock valuation.

Long Island Iced Tea planned to raise 8.4 million to purchase cryptocurrency mining rigs by simply changing their name to Long Blockchain. Their business is iced tea, alcohol free, but mixing in a crypto mining rig; why not?

Worth a Bet

By taking 3 minutes to join fintech, MOGO, you could win a Bitcoin!

On MogoCrypto you will be able to buy & sell your Bitcoins. Handy! As well, buying a bouquet of Mogo stocks is worth a bet.

The Real

The Finish Immigration Service with fintech, MONI, is using Blockchain to give refugees secure IDs and financial accounts. This supports them in formal employment and ability to receive deposits, make card transactions and manage their finances more securely.

Madam X knew you were keen to be kept up to date on the latest breaking news in cyber tech.

Blockchain – so Madly Masculine

It’s sort of like a “Girls Keep Out” sign.

I could hear the screech of her high heels coming to a swift halt, so Madam X could read Friday’s Globe over my shoulder; really annoying! But we do want to know what this Blockchain thing is so we can toss off a few good lines at cocktail parties.

An Explanation with Apologies for Undue Technicalities

Blockchain is a swiftly growing database with large blobs of information called blocks. So now we know about the block bit.

The mind of Madam X focuses on the chain part.

Maybe the chain holds the blocks together or works like a bike chain or, likely, just sounds tough.

Blockchain mines Bitcoin. Is it a profitable business?

Bitcoin is basically valueless; its worth is decided by those trading in them.

The power currently used for Bitcoin mining compares to Ireland’s energy consumption. *

It is quite unnecessary to know how this mining thing works. Do you know how a driverless car works? No. So there.

Innovative Spawn

Bitcoin, Blockchain’s spawn, however, has gone stratospheric but having a rough patch, too bad.

Bitcoin sounded so cute, Madam X  wanted some. Cryptocurrency has a shady, Goth vibe. In fact, Bitcoin has no government regulation or acceptance and is best known as the money launderer’s choice.

Possibly you were not aware that you have several other options in Cryptocurrencies. Now is a good time to check out the smaller players with excellent names such as ripple, NEM, monero and Canada’s Etherium.

Madam X knew you were yearning to have a firm understanding of cyber tech.

Before I get into morning trading, I get focused.

I will whisper instructions on my abbreviated complete morning workout.
Some may mock:
Slip into your highest heels. Stretch your fingers toward the ceiling for maybe three breaths. Let’s not be obsessive. Then relax, dropping your head, shoulders and arms toward the floor. Stretch your fingers and touch your toes. That’s it. Finished! But just think about it. Not that easy, is it, to keep your balance and you really have to stretch in those heels.

Now that I am virtuous, relaxed, and at one with the universe, I need coffee.

Let’s Be Calculating

Yes, Madam X is on a financial diet. I am determined to save a quarter or maybe ten percent of my paltry pay cheque and place that into the Stock Market. Discipline. I shall limit myself to only one daily stop at my local latte shrine. After all, Second Cup (SCU) is a stock I favour. It’s cheap at $4.49 with a big, maybe too big dividend of 7.57%. It’s only common sense to help with its financial success.

Dividends are gorgeous, like little jewels, treats that drop into your trading account. I discover, if they are too high like much above 5%, it may mean the price of the stock has dropped and the dividend may be repealed which may make the stock slip more.

Now let me see… Timmy Horton (THI) is highly recommended by analysts but it is $59.30 each share! And its dividend is only 2.16%.

If I had $3,000.00 to invest in coffee addiction in my on-line trading account…my calculator is breathing hard I could buy about 50 THI and get 18 free lattes a year.

For the same price, I could buy 666 SCU shares. This means I would get almost 2 free lattes a week! Someone with a negative cast of mind might say I was eating the profits. I, however, prefer to remain steadfastly positive.

Madam X lounges into the pillows of her long studio sofa. She is deeply, unusually, relaxed. One careless leg rests across the back of the sofa. A purple suede stiletto sandal swings from her polished pedicure in Joe Fresh, Hot Pepper. “No”, she sighs, “Despite Joe Fresh, I fail to believe that Loblaws will run…and just now?…I can’t get interested….”

Growing Momentum

• A deep herbal scent and a feather of smoke drifts. I hear a long hissing intake of breath. I do wish Madam didn’t take her research to such extremes.
• Colorado has allowed retail sales of cannabis since the beginning of this year resulting in the leafing out of many new business opportunities.
• A rush of businesses will go up in smoke but some will bud up:
  Medical Marijuana (MJNA) financially assists with companies that make products from marijuana. Although it is listed as a $287 million dollar business, today its price dropped 99 percentage points to below zero, if that is possible.
• BreedIT (BRDT) a breeding software company bounces around .56 cents
• Tranzbyte (ERBB) owns dispensaries, is a nutrient-capsule maker, and acts as start up financiers. Its stock hovers at.03 cents. But that’s up an eyebrow raising 300% this year!
• Advanced Cannabis (CANN) the real estate side, rents out space for growing crops. Its stock has leaped from $8.00 to $33.00.
• GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH) at $67.05, up from $8, has a market value of 9 million. This English company has developed prescription medicine based on cannabis. Sativex, approved in 25 countries relieves the spasms of multiple sclerosis. Other products in the works will deal with the symptoms of epilepsy, migraines and autism.

Madam X will keep an eye on GW but is waiting to see how Tweed, a newly licensed Canadian grower will fare as it slips into the Venture Exchange in mid March. Its grow op is being set up in the old Hershey factory in Smith’s Falls. Pharma Can Capital will invest in medical marijuana companies with an IPO April 1. Pharma Can has a relationship with Advanced Cannabis noted above.

Multibillion dollar businesses with momentum will get Madam X focused.