Quebec-based retailer goes public

Article Excerpt

GROUPE DYNAMITE INC. $21 is a hold. The company (Toronto symbol GRGD; Consumer sector; Market cap: $2.3 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; www.groupedynamite.com) is a Montreal-based retailer of women’s apparel with roughly 300 stores in Canada and the U.S. They operate under the Garage and Dynamite banners, with the company also selling its products online. The company has now completed an initial public offering of 14.3 million subordinate voting shares at $21 a share for a total of $300.3 million. Insiders continue to control the firm through multiple voting shares. Group Dynamite focuses on Generation Z and Millennial shoppers. In the 12 months ended August 3, 2024, it earned $128 million on sales of $888 million. The company has strong brands, and survived the COVID-19 shutdowns thanks to a successful restructuring plan. However, consumer tastes are fickle and the Group Dynamite faces strong competition from other mall-based and online sellers. Groupe Dynamite is a hold. hold…