Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Loblaw has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating from seven analysts: four buys, two holds and one strong buy. The average 12-month price target is C$71.00.
• Recent analyst actions were generally positive, with TD Securities upgrading the stock to “strong buy” and several firms raising price targets, although CIBC cut its target from C$75 to C$69.
• Loblaw reported quarterly revenue of C$15.05 billion and EPS of C$0.66, while raising its quarterly dividend to C$0.1552 per share, or C$0.62 annually.

Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L - Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the seven research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$71.00.

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reduced their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$75.00 to C$69.00 in a report on Thursday, May 7th. TD Securities raised Loblaw Companies to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$73.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Scotia lifted their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$64.00 to C$67.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Desjardins boosted their target price on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$72.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st.

Loblaw Companies Price Performance

Loblaw Companies stock opened at C$60.42 on Monday. Loblaw Companies has a fifty-two week low of C$52.92 and a fifty-two week high of C$69.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 151.15, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is C$63.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$63.42. The stock has a market cap of C$69.82 billion, a PE ratio of 25.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.14.

Loblaw Companies (TSE:L - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported C$0.66 EPS for the quarter. Loblaw Companies had a net margin of 4.32% and a return on equity of 25.25%. The firm had revenue of C$15.05 billion during the quarter. Research analysts predict that Loblaw Companies will post 9.1225541 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Loblaw Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st were paid a dividend of $0.1552 per share. This represents a $0.62 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. This is an increase from Loblaw Companies's previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. Loblaw Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Melanie Singh sold 4,820 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$66.72, for a total value of C$321,590.40. Also, Director Nicholas Henn sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$67.00, for a total value of C$670,000.00. Insiders own 53.77% of the company's stock.

Loblaw Companies Company Profile

Loblaw is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, and the nation's largest retailer. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,800 corporate franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and Associate-owners employ more than 220,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers. Loblaw's purpose - Live Life Well® - puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the company's stores.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source