Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Receives C$236.88 Average PT from Brokerages

Shares of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) have received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the seven ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$236.88.

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Desjardins boosted their target price on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$185.00 to C$230.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. CIBC upped their price objective on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$208.00 to C$234.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. TD Securities raised their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$195.00 to C$245.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. National Bankshares upped their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$207.00 to C$234.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Scotiabank increased their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$215.00 to C$245.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st.

Insider Transactions at Loblaw Companies

In other Loblaw Companies news, Senior Officer Frank Gambioli sold 1,304 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$213.87, for a total value of C$278,880.09. Also, Senior Officer Kieran Barry Columb sold 11,309 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$186.55, for a total transaction of C$2,109,706.39. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 159,184 shares of company stock worth $29,912,112. Company insiders own 53.77% of the company’s stock.

Loblaw Companies Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of Loblaw Companies stock opened at C$219.61 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of C$206.96 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$192.20. Loblaw Companies has a 52-week low of C$152.39 and a 52-week high of C$229.56. The firm has a market cap of C$66.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.81, a P/E/G ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 166.11, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 0.68.

Loblaw Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st were given a $0.513 dividend. This represents a $2.05 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. Loblaw Companies’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.83%.

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.