Welcome to another edition of Money While You Sleep. For the first time in what feels like a year the market was down in December, not a bad thing that’s for sure. This month was all about setting up the portfolio going into 2025, so some major changes that I will get to shortly. Here are a few things we were up to in December:
- Celebrating Christmas was the highlight of the month, being with family is what its all about.
- For the fist New Years Eve i think ever my wife Maria and I got to celebrate it just the two of us.
Portfolio details:
- Portfolio was down across the board from 1%-5% depending on account which after the year we had I’m 100% okay with. We made some changes going into 2025.
- I really like the US market and personally feel it will outperform the Canadian market over at least the next year, so have been converting CAD into US dollars and adding US names. You can find a few of the names below it December buys.
Sold:
We sold our position in CRSR, which really should have been done two years ago. That was followed up with the sale of AQN. It’s too bad, as I really liked the name years ago, but I just don’t see a quick turnaround on this one. It was time to take the loss and move on to bigger and better opportunities.
Another major move I made was selling half of my position in Manulife (MFC). They have had a multi-year rise to remember, but the position allocation became too large for my liking. I also think they are almost fully valued currently and felt there were some other names that are just more attractive at this time.
Bought
Finally opened a position in Tourmaline Oil Corp, and here is a breakdown on why:
Largest Natural Gas Producer in Canada: Tourmaline is the largest natural gas producer in Canada, which positions it well in the energy market.
Strong Financial Performance: The company has shown strong financial performance, with significant revenue and net income. For example, in 2023, Tourmaline reported a revenue of $6.71 billion.
Operational Efficiency: Tourmaline focuses on cost efficiencies and operational excellence. They have a systematic cost reduction strategy that has driven down costs to the lowest in the industry.
Innovative Technologies: The company invests in innovative technologies to minimize its environmental footprint, such as developing electricity-powered drilling technology to reduce emissions.
Dividend Payouts: Tourmaline offers attractive dividend payouts, which can be appealing for income-focused investors.
Strategic Acquisitions: The company has made strategic acquisitions to expand its operations and increase its production capacity.
Strong Market Position: Tourmaline maintains a strong market position with operations in key areas like the Alberta Deep Basin, Northeast British Columbia Montney, and the Peace River High Triassic oil complex.
Next I opened a new position in what I think is a solid growth company in ASML, here are some reasons on the addition:
Market Leadership: ASML is the world’s leading supplier of photolithography systems for the semiconductor industry. Their advanced technology is crucial for producing high-performance microchips.
Innovative Technology: ASML is at the forefront of innovation with its Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology. This technology is essential for manufacturing the latest generation of semiconductors, which are used in everything from smartphones to advanced computing systems.
Strong Financial Performance: ASML has consistently demonstrated strong financial performance, with significant revenue growth and profitability. Their financial stability makes them a reliable investment.
Strategic Partnerships: ASML has established strategic partnerships with major semiconductor manufacturers, including Intel, Samsung, and TSMC. These partnerships ensure a steady demand for their products and services.
Global Presence: ASML has a strong global presence, with operations in key markets around the world. This global reach allows them to tap into diverse markets and mitigate regional risks.
Research and Development: ASML invests heavily in research and development to stay ahead of the competition. Their commitment to innovation ensures they remain a leader in the semiconductor industry.
Sustainability Initiatives: ASML is committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact. They are developing technologies to minimize energy consumption and waste in semiconductor manufacturing.
Some other purchases include Exchange Income Corporation (EIF), Toronto Dominion Bank (TD), Granite Real Estate Trust (GRT.UN), UBER Technologies Inc (UBER) and Alphabet Inc (GOOG)
Dividend/Distribution Increase or Decrease
- Enbridge (ENB) comes through with a 3% increase, its second increase of the year
- TD with 3% increase
- Alta Gas (ALA) with a 6% increase
- Royal Bank (RY) with a nice 6% increase
- CIBC (CM) with an impressive 8% increase
- Bank of Montreal (BMO) with a 2.5% increase and its second increase of the year
- EQB Inc. (EQB) with a 4% increase and i believe its 4th raise of the year
- Disney (DIS) increase dividend by 10%
2024 Dividends and Distributions

December dividends/distributions came in at $834, an all-time monthly high. This is a YOY increase of 11%. All the dividends have either been dripped or placed into cash for future purchases. We dripped 12 new shares, across 7 companies. We closed the year at $8,100.72 beating our goal by 72 cents, kind of funny but a goal is a goal.

Dividends/Income received

Drips were in the following names: POW and PLZ.UN
See you next month
Invest in yourself
Brian
Disclosure: I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. Please ensure you do your own research.
