These safety-conscious stocks remain buys

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES, $183.77, is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 303.8 million; Market cap: $55.8 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 1.1%; www.loblaw.ca) company operates 1,106 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. The company is now building a new distribution warehouse just north of Toronto in Newmarket, Ontario. This new facility, which is set to open in 2025, will use automated sorting and other equipment. That will help keep Loblaw’s labour costs down and improve overall efficiency. The new facility will also help lift projected earnings from $8.54 a share in 2024 to $9.39 in 2025. The stock, which continues to hit new highs for investors, trades at a reasonable 19.6 times that 2025 estimate. As well, with the July 2024, payment, Loblaw raised your quarterly dividend by 15.0%. The new annual rate of $2.052 yields 1.1%. Loblaw Cos. is a buy. NEWMONT CORP., $44.48, remains a buy for long-term growth and as a hedge against inflation. The…