Metro (TSE:MRU) Shares Cross Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

Metro Inc. (TSE:MRU)’s stock price passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$93.45 and traded as high as C$93.99. Metro shares last traded at C$93.44, with a volume of 742,373 shares changing hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MRU shares. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce cut their price target on Metro from C$101.00 to C$97.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Desjardins reduced their price target on Metro from C$99.00 to C$97.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. National Bank Financial set a C$105.00 price objective on shares of Metro and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Scotia cut their target price on Metro from C$103.00 to C$96.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut Metro from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the company from C$105.00 to C$95.00 in a research report on Monday, July 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Metro currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$102.38.

Metro Stock Up 0.6%

The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 69.30. The firm has a market capitalization of C$20.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.33, a PEG ratio of 4.06 and a beta of 0.16. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$91.55 and a 200-day moving average of C$93.44.

Metro Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 2nd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 2nd were given a $0.4075 dividend. This represents a $1.63 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 13th. Metro’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.36%.

About Metro

With annual sales of more than $22 billion, METRO Inc is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario, providing employment to more than 97,000 people. Its purpose is to Nourish the health and well-being of our communities. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and provider of eCommerce services, the company operates or services a network of some 1,000 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis and Première Moisson, and some 640 pharmacies primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners.