Core retirement portfolio holdings

Recently I did a post on those stocks I consider core holdings in a retirement portfolio. Click the link to read the post: LINK. Today, I'd like to add some more stocks in the core holding category.

At the moment we have:

Financials

• RY (Royal Bank)       
  
• BMO (Bank of Montreal)
  
• TD (Toronto Dominion Bank)
  
• CM (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce)
  
• BNS (Bank of Nova Scotia)

Utilities

• FTS (Fortis)
  
• EMA (Emera)
  
• H (Hydro One)
  
• CU (Canadian Utilities)
• ALA (Alta Gas) 
  

Telcoms

• T (Telus)
• BCE (Bell)
• QBC.B (Quebecor) (Best bought on dips.)
  
• CCA (Cogeco) (Only buy on dips) I shifted from CGO to CCA. I did not want the radio ownership.
  

Pipelines

• ENB (Enbridge)
• TRP (TC Energy)
• PPL (Pembina)

Our retirement portfolio now has 15 buy and hold investments. If you had and average of $35,000 in each stock, your total portfolio would be worth $525,000 and would be yielding $22,000 or more in its first year. No one would be surprised if the yield increased by three or four percent annually in the coming years. In other words, I fully expect the income generated by this portfolio to increase by approximately $800 in the second year.

Are you beginning to understand why I balk at the idea of adding an annuity to my retirement package?

In my next post, I will touch on other investments I see as important investments in a well designed retirement portfolio. For instance, you may have noticed the exposure to the U.S. market is totally inadequate at this moment. This can be corrected by adding an ETF like XUS or VUS. Stay tuned. We'll compete this thought soon.