Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) has received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the seven research firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$71.00.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on L. National Bank Financial increased their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$67.00 to C$70.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. TD Securities raised Loblaw Companies to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Scotia boosted their price objective on Loblaw Companies from C$64.00 to C$67.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Desjardins upped their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Loblaw Companies from C$70.00 to C$73.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st.

Insider Buying and Selling at Loblaw Companies

In other Loblaw Companies news, insider Melanie Singh sold 4,820 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$66.72, for a total transaction of C$321,590.40. Also, Director Nicholas Henn sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$67.00, for a total transaction of C$670,000.00. Insiders have sold 282,701 shares of company stock worth $17,619,304 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 53.77% of the company’s stock.

Loblaw Companies Price Performance

L stock opened at C$63.31 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of C$73.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.83, a P/E/G ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 151.15, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of C$63.25 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$63.25. Loblaw Companies has a 1 year low of C$52.92 and a 1 year high of C$69.59.

Loblaw Companies (TSE:L) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported C$0.66 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of C$15.05 billion for the quarter. Loblaw Companies had a net margin of 4.32% and a return on equity of 25.25%. Research analysts anticipate that Loblaw Companies will post 9.1225541 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Loblaw Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Investors of record on Thursday, October 1st will be issued a $0.1552 dividend. This represents a $0.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Loblaw Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.51%.

About Loblaw Companies

Loblaw is Canada’s food and pharmacy leader, and the nation’s largest retailer. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,800 corporate franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and Associate-owners employ more than 220,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada’s largest private sector employers. Loblaw’s purpose – Live Life Well® – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the company’s stores.