Topic: How To Invest

Q: Good day, Pat: Could you give me your opinion of Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd. (TSE: LIQ). Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd., $10.50, symbol LIQ on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 27.7 million; Market cap: $290.3 million; www.liquorstoresgp.ca), is North America’s largest publicly traded liquor store operator, with 253 outlets. Of that total, 213 are in Canada—179 in Alberta, and 34 in B.C. In the U.S., the company has 22 stores in Alaska, 15 in Kentucky, two in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. Liquor Stores’ banners include Liquor Depot, Liquor Barn, Brown Jug, Joe Canal’s Discount Liquor Outlet and LQR MKT. The company’s sales rose 26.2%, from $591.5 million in 2011 to $746.4 million in 2015. Earnings fell from $1.08 a share (or a total of $24.8 million) in 2011 to $0.49 a share (or $11.5 million) in 2013. Earnings then improved to $0.54 a share (or $12.9 million) in 2014. However, the company lost $3.64 a share (or $99.6 million) in 2015 due to the writedown of its operations in Western Canada and Alaska. The company partly fuels its growth…