Insider Selling: Loblaw Companies (TSE:L) Insider Sells 4,820 Shares of Stock

Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) insider Melanie Singh sold 4,820 shares of the business’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.

Loblaw Companies Stock Performance

Shares of TSE:L traded down C$1.68 during trading on Friday, reaching C$65.00. 1,266,398 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,367,591. Loblaw Companies Limited has a 12 month low of C$52.92 and a 12 month high of C$69.59. The firm has a market cap of C$75.65 billion, a PE ratio of 28.26, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.15. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$62.41 and a 200-day moving average price of C$62.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 153.41.

Loblaw Companies (TSE:L) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 6th. The company reported C$0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Loblaw Companies had a return on equity of 24.88% and a net margin of 4.29%.The company had revenue of C$14.48 billion during the quarter. Research analysts expect that Loblaw Companies Limited will post 9.1225541 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Loblaw Companies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st will be given a $0.1552 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. This is a positive change from Loblaw Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. This represents a $0.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Loblaw Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.53%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce dropped their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$75.00 to C$69.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$63.00 to C$68.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. TD Securities lifted their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$65.00 to C$75.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Loblaw Companies from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and set a C$70.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Scotia dropped their price target on shares of Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$64.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of C$69.25.

About Loblaw Companies

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. The firm carries a robust private-label assortment, with top sellers like President’s Choice and No Name. In addition to its retail operations, Loblaw oversees a financial-services business, which provides credit card services and guaranteed investment certificates, and also operates its PC Optimum loyalty program.