Loblaw adds more beer and wine

Article Excerpt

LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $65 (Toronto symbol L; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 403.8 million; Market cap: $26.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 1.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.loblaw.ca) has won licences from the Ontario government to sell beer and wine at an additional 20 of its supermarkets in the province. As a result, it now carries these products in 39 stores. Under the government’s rules, grocery stores can’t sell beer and wine at lower prices or outside the business hours of the government-owned liquor stores. Still, offering these products should increase repeat visits for these 39 stores. Loblaw is also in a strong position to win more licences as the program expands. Loblaw is a buy. buy…