These two top retailers continue to adapt

Article Excerpt

Here are two Canadian retailers with an established track record of adapting to new competitors and fast-changing consumer tastes. Their flexibility includes making strategic acquisitions, which adds risk. Still, their new operations have already begun to fuel their long-term earnings. CANADIAN TIRE CORP. (Toronto symbols CTC $206 and CTC.A $143; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 61.8 million; Market cap: $8.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canadiantire.ca) owns 504 Canadian Tire stores. They sell automotive parts and products, and household and sporting goods. In the past few years, the company has acquired other major retail chains: Mark’s sells casual and work clothing through 380 stores; and the Sport Chek Group sells sporting goods and athletic wear through 402 outlets, including those under the Sport Chek and Sports Experts banners. Canadian Tire continues to expand. It has now agreed to buy the 65 Canadian outlets of U.S.-based Party City Holdco Inc. (New York symbol PRTY) for…