North West Company dominates in its niche markets

Article Excerpt

The long-term outlook for North West Company and its investors remains positive. The outlook is particularly bright for its operations in the North, including Alaska, where the company holds a dominant market position. Meanwhile, the stock offers a high 4.5% yield. NORTH WEST COMPANY, $34.06, is a buy. This retailer (Toronto symbol NWC; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.northwest.ca; Shares outstanding: 47.8 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Dividend yield: 4.5%) sells food and everyday products and services through 222 stores. Those locations are mainly in northern communities across Canada and Alaska. Through your shares, you also tap the company’s operations in remote regions of Hawaii, the wider South Pacific and the Caribbean. In the quarter ended April 30, 2023, sales rose 7.5%, to $593.6 million from $552.0 million a year earlier. Same-store sales rose 0.9% in the quarter. Excluding one-time items, earnings in the quarter fell 16.4%, to $26.1 million, or $0.55 a share, from $31.2 million, or $0.65. The company was not able to pass on…