These Canadian retailers have much to offer

Article Excerpt

We hold a high opinion for these three Canadian retailers. Each is focused on improving its stores and online operations to better retain customers and increase sales. Their share prices—along with many other Canadian and U.S. retailers—have dropped in the past few months. That reflects growing online competition and bad weather in the early part of 2019, which hurt customer traffic. However, investments in their operations should spur sales and earnings, and provide them with more room to keep raising their dividends. CANADIAN TIRE CORP. (Toronto symbols CTC $226 and CTC.A $137; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 61.8 million; Market cap: $8.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canadiantire.ca) owns 503 Canadian Tire stores. They sell automotive parts and products, and household and sporting goods. Franchisees run most of the outlets. The company’s other operations include 297 gas stations and 104 PartSource locations, which are entirely focused on automobile supplies. In the past few years, Canadian Tire has acquired other major…