Both these grocery leaders are top buys

Article Excerpt

Loblaw and Metro remain leading competitors in their markets. We see both stocks as buys. LOBLAW COMPANIES, $152.84, is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 306.7 million; Market cap: $46.9 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.2%; www.loblaw.ca) operates 1,104 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. It also operates 1,351 Shoppers Drug Mart drugstores across Canada. Loblaw continues to benefit from higher selling prices, which helps it offset its own rising costs for food, fuel and other inputs. Higher consumer food prices are also spurring sales at its discount outlets. In the quarter ended March 23, 2024, sales rose 4.5%, to $13.58 billion from $13.0 billion a year earlier. Loblaw’s earnings before one-time items gained 6.3%, to $537 million from $505 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings rose 11.0%, to $1.72 from $1.55. For 2024, the company’s earnings will probably improve 8% to $8.47 a share. The stock trades at a reasonable 18.0 times…