Satellite Portfolio Methodology
Many investors will not have a Satellite portion in their portfolio whereas others will have as much as 40% allocated for active management predominantly in the form of actively managed mutual funds or individual security selection (stocks, bonds, specialized ETFs, etc.). The parameters for consideration are listed below.
Quality of Assets
No individual security position may represent more than 10% of the overall portfolio (core + satellite) for any individual investment portfolio. For example if your overall RRSP account is valued at $100,000 then no individual security may represent more than $10,000 (book value). This restriction does not apply to securities that invest in multiple other securities (i.e. ETFs, Mutual Funds). Individual fixed income positions that do not have an investment grade credit rating (i.e. less than BBB for bonds, less than P-2 for preferred shares) may not represent more than 5% of the overall portfolio.
Diversification
The Core portion of your portfolio is properly diversified. The Satellite portion of your portfolio has free reign to choose any investment subject to the other limitations provided in this section.
Cash and Equivalents
Cash and Equivalent investments may include: Treasury Bills, Bankers’ Acceptances or Cashable GICs with maturities less than one year only.
Fixed Income
Individual Fixed Income positions may include: Canadian Government bonds, GICs of any term (cashable or non-cashable), NHA-Insured Canadian Mortgage Backed Securities, Corporate Bonds (including convertibles), strips, coupons, and Preferred Shares (excluding perpetual Preferred Shares).
Liquidity
Any individual security must have a minimum daily trading requirement of the greater of i) 1,000 shares or units trading volume and ii) $1,000,000 of daily traded Canadian dollar value.
