Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) Receives C$178.29 Average PT from Analysts

Shares of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L - Get Free Report) have been given an average rating of "Moderate Buy" by the six ratings firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is C$178.29.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. CIBC lifted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$171.00 to C$189.00 in a report on Friday, July 26th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$160.00 to C$180.00 in a report on Friday, July 26th. TD Securities lifted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$172.00 to C$186.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. National Bankshares lifted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$175.00 to C$188.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Desjardins lifted their price target on Loblaw Companies from C$157.00 to C$172.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd.

Loblaw Companies Stock Performance

L traded up C$0.49 during trading on Thursday, reaching C$174.57. 161,072 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 359,868. Loblaw Companies has a fifty-two week low of C$110.52 and a fifty-two week high of C$182.19. The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 163.32. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$175.35 and a 200 day moving average price of C$164.59. The company has a market capitalization of C$53.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.38, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.17.

Loblaw Companies (TSE:L - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported C$2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of C$2.14 by C$0.01. The company had revenue of C$13.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of C$14.07 billion. Loblaw Companies had a return on equity of 19.22% and a net margin of 3.46%. As a group, analysts predict that Loblaw Companies will post 9.1225541 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Loblaw Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 1st were paid a $0.513 dividend. This represents a $2.05 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.18%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 13th. Loblaw Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.06%.

Insider Activity at Loblaw Companies

In other Loblaw Companies news, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 296 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$165.15, for a total value of C$48,884.02. In other news, Senior Officer Nicholas Henn sold 164 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$165.15, for a total transaction of C$27,084.39. Also, Director Willard Galen Garfield Weston sold 296 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$165.15, for a total value of C$48,884.02. 53.77% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Loblaw Companies Company Profile

Loblaw Companies Limited, a food and pharmacy company, provides grocery, pharmacy and healthcare services, health and beauty products, apparels, general merchandise, financial services, and wireless mobile products and services in Canada. It operates in two segments, Retail and Financial Services. The Retail segment operates corporate and franchise-owned retail food, and associate-owned drug stores.