Small retailer offers you a big yield

Article Excerpt

NORTH WEST COMPANY $33 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol NWC; High-Growth Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares o/s: 47.8 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Divd. yield: 4.6%; Divd. Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.northwest.ca) sells food and everyday products and services at 223 stores, mainly in northern communities across Canada, as well as in Alaska, the South Pacific and the Caribbean. North West last raised its quarterly dividend 2.4% in October 2022, to $0.38 a share from $0.37. The annual rate of $1.52 yields a high 4.6%. In the quarter ended April 30, 2023, sales rose 7.5%, to $593.6 million from $552.0 million a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, earnings in the quarter fell 16.4%, to $0.55 a share from $0.65. Given that food volumes increased, the decline suggests that the company was unable to pass on all of its higher costs to customers. In addition, sales growth for it higher-profit-margin general merchandise slowed. North West Co. is a buy. buy…