Loblaw Companies (TSE:L) Reaches New 12-Month High - What's Next?

Shares of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as C$226.62 and last traded at C$226.62, with a volume of 50655 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$225.02.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have commented on L. TD Securities boosted their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$195.00 to C$245.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Desjardins increased their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$185.00 to C$230.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. CIBC lifted their target price on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$208.00 to C$234.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$200.00 to C$220.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$215.00 to C$234.00 in a research note on Monday, April 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of C$236.88.

Loblaw Companies Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 166.11. The stock's 50-day moving average price is C$203.02 and its 200-day moving average price is C$190.16. The company has a market capitalization of C$67.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.17.

Loblaw Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st were given a $0.513 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. This represents a $2.05 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.91%. Loblaw Companies's payout ratio is 27.83%.

Insider Activity

In other Loblaw Companies news, Senior Officer Jeffrey Francis Leger sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, May 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$227.50, for a total value of C$455,000.00. Also, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 104,364 shares of Loblaw Companies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$182.50, for a total value of C$19,046,690.91. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 157,380 shares of company stock valued at $29,526,299. Company insiders own 53.77% of the company's stock.

Loblaw Companies Company Profile

Loblaw is one of Canada's largest grocery, pharmacy, and general merchandise retailers, operating the most expansive store footprint in Ontario and maintaining sizable presences in provinces like Quebec and British Columbia. Key grocery banners include Loblaw, No Frills, and Maxi, while its pharmaceutical operations are the product of its 2014 acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart.