Updating METRO INC., CAE INC. and CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO.

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METRO INC. $43 (Toronto symbol MRU.A; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 105.8 million; Market cap: $4.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.metro.ca) has about 600 supermarkets and 250 drugstores in Ontario and Quebec. In the three months ended December 18, 2010, Metro’s sales fell 0.5%, to $2.63 billion from $2.65 billion a year earlier. Metro cut its prices due to rising competition from other grocery retailers and Wal-Mart, which continues to expand its grocery offerings. As well, drug prices have fallen due to the expiry of important drug patents and new generic-drug legislation in Ontario. However, earnings rose 3.7%, to $92.0 million from $88.7 million. Earnings per share rose 7.3%, to $0.88 from $0.82, on fewer shares outstanding. These figures exclude one-time items, such as expansion costs and a lower tax bill. Metro raised its dividend by 13.2%. The new annual rate of $0.77 yields 1.8%. Metro is a buy. CAE INC. $13 (Toronto symbol CAE; Conservative Growth…