REIT plan unlocks value

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES $40.37 (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 281.7 million; Market cap: $11.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 2.2%; www.loblaw.ca) has risen 20% since it announced its plan to hold the bulk of its properties in a real estate investment trust in December 2012. Even so, the stock still trades at a reasonable 16.3 times the $2.47 a share that Loblaw earned in 2012. The company’s earnings could rise to $2.65 a share in 2013. The stock trades at 15.2 times that forecast. As well, the company recently raised its quarterly dividend by 4.8%, to $0.22 a share from $0.21. The stock now yields 2.2%. Loblaw is a buy. buy…