Empire (TSE:EMP.A) Given New C$46.00 Price Target at National Bankshares

Empire (TSE:EMP.A - Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by National Bankshares from C$42.00 to C$46.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage presently has a "sector perform" rating on the stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Empire from C$41.00 to C$42.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday. TD Securities boosted their price target on Empire from C$38.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday. CIBC increased their price objective on Empire from C$40.00 to C$47.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Empire from C$40.00 to C$43.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Desjardins upped their target price on Empire from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of C$43.14.

Empire Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 134.59, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.29. Empire has a one year low of C$31.45 and a one year high of C$41.38. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$37.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$34.48. The firm has a market capitalization of C$5.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.55, a PEG ratio of 16.20 and a beta of 0.47.

Insider Activity at Empire

In related news, Senior Officer Pierre St-Laurent sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$36.32, for a total transaction of C$108,960.00. In related news, Senior Officer Pierre St-Laurent sold 3,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$36.32, for a total transaction of C$108,960.00. Also, Director William Linton sold 7,058 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$34.39, for a total transaction of C$242,690.74. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 875 shares of the company's stock, valued at C$30,087.05. Insiders have sold a total of 14,294 shares of company stock valued at $504,880 in the last 90 days. 2.15% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Empire

Empire Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the food retail and related real estate businesses in Canada. It operates through two segments, Food Retailing, and Investments and Other Operations. The company owns, affiliates, and franchises approximately 1,500 retail stores under various retail banners, including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawtons Drugs; and approximately 350 retail fuel locations.