Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Stock Has Consensus Target Price of C$71.44 According to Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts have a “Moderate Buy” consensus on Loblaw Companies, with five buy ratings, one strong-buy rating and two holds. The average 12-month price target is C$71.44, above the reported C$62.15 share price.
• Recent analyst actions were generally positive, including TD’s C$75 target and strong-buy upgrade, while BMO and Desjardins also raised their price targets to C$73 and C$72, respectively.
• Loblaw reported quarterly earnings of C$0.66 per share on C$15.05 billion in revenue and declared a quarterly dividend of C$0.1552 per share, equivalent to an annualized yield of about 1.0%.

Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L - Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the eight analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$71.44.

A number of research analysts have recently commented on L shares. TD set a C$75.00 price target on Loblaw Companies and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$73.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Desjardins boosted their target price on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$72.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. TD Securities upgraded shares of Loblaw Companies to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, National Bank Financial set a C$70.00 price target on shares of Loblaw Companies and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Mark William Henry Wilson sold 24,496 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$62.68, for a total value of C$1,535,409.28. Also, insider David Markwell sold 56,240 shares of Loblaw Companies stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$62.07, for a total value of C$3,490,816.80. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 324,121 shares of company stock valued at $20,118,530. Insiders own 53.77% of the company's stock.

Loblaw Companies Trading Up 0.4%

Loblaw Companies stock opened at C$62.15 on Friday. 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 business's 50-day simple moving average is C$62.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$62.95. The firm has a market capitalization of C$71.82 billion, a PE ratio of 26.33, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.06. Loblaw Companies has a 52 week low of C$52.92 and a 52 week high of C$69.59.

Loblaw Companies (TSE:L - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported C$0.66 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$15.05 billion during the quarter. Loblaw Companies had a return on equity of 25.25% and a net margin of 4.32%. Equities research analysts forecast that Loblaw Companies will post 9.1225541 earnings per share for the current year.

Loblaw Companies Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 1st will be given a dividend of $0.1552 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $0.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Loblaw Companies's dividend payout ratio is currently 24.51%.

About Loblaw Companies

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.

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