Empire (TSE:EMP.A) Stock Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Shares crossed above its 200-day moving average (200‑day MA C$48.81), trading as high as C$49.66 and last at C$48.87 on volume of about 962,132 shares.
• Analysts have trimmed price targets recently but the consensus remains a "Moderate Buy" with a consensus price target of C$52.83 and a split of three Buy and three Hold ratings.
• Empire is a Sobeys‑led food retailer with a market cap of C$11.25 billion and P/E of 16.57, but carries a high debt‑to‑equity ratio (135.51) and low liquidity (quick ratio 0.29); last quarter EPS was C$0.72 on C$7.89 billion revenue.

Shares of Empire Company Limited (TSE:EMP.A - Get Free Report) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$48.81 and traded as high as C$49.66. Empire shares last traded at C$48.87, with a volume of 962,132 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Empire from C$61.00 to C$55.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 23rd. TD Securities decreased their target price on shares of Empire from C$58.00 to C$50.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Scotiabank lowered their price target on shares of Empire from C$57.00 to C$52.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. National Bank Financial cut their price target on shares of Empire from C$58.00 to C$54.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reduced their price objective on shares of Empire from C$59.00 to C$53.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of C$52.83.

Empire Trading Down 0.2%

The stock has a market capitalization of C$11.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 16.20 and a beta of 0.01. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of C$47.77 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$48.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 135.51, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a current ratio of 0.79.

Empire (TSE:EMP.A - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The company reported C$0.72 earnings per share for the quarter. Empire had a return on equity of 12.94% and a net margin of 2.18%.The business had revenue of C$7.89 billion during the quarter. On average, analysts predict that Empire Company Limited will post 2.9581227 EPS for the current year.

Empire Company Profile

Empire Co Ltd key businesses are food retailing, investments, and other operations. The food retailing division operates through Empire's subsidiary Sobeys and represents nearly all of the company's income. This segment owns, affiliates, or franchises more than 1,500 stores in 10 provinces, under retail banners including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Lawton's Drug Stores, and multiple retail fuel locations. The company's investment and other operations segment include the investment in Crombie REIT, which is an open-ended Canadian real estate investment trust, as well as the Genstar Development Partnership.

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