This retailer knows how to adapt

Article Excerpt

Canadian Tire’s class A shares are down 3% since the start of 2024, mainly because high interest rates and inflation are prompting consumers to cut spending on discretionary items. However, the company has a long history of adjusting to changing conditions, and a new cost-cutting plan should improve its profitability. CANADIAN TIRE CORP. (class A non-voting) is a buy. The retailer (Toronto symbols CTC $215 and CTC.A $138; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 55.6 million; Market cap: $7.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 5.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canadiantire.ca) operates 502 Canadian Tire stores. They sell automotive parts and services, and household and sporting goods. Its other chains include 380 Mark’s stores (casual and work clothing); 389 Sport Chek stores (sporting goods and athletic wear). Despite the COVID-19 lockdowns, Canadian Tire’s revenue rose 22.5%, from $14.53 billion in 2019 to $17.81 billion in 2022. Revenue then declined 6.5% to $16.66 billion in 2023 as rising inflation and interest rates hurt consumer spending. Earnings…