Hart Stores
Toronto symbol HIS, operates midsized department stores in Eastern Canada.
The Canadian retailing industry is intensely competitive. That’s why we prefer to focus on well-established retailers, such as the five we analyze below. Their high market shares and strong brands give them an edge. As well, all five trade at reasonable multiples to earnings. However, not all are buys right now.
LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $41 (Toronto symbol L; Conservative Growth Portfolio, …read more »
HART STORES INC. $2.21 (Toronto symbol HIS; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 13.6 million; Market cap: $30.1 million; SI Rating: Speculative) operates 80 midsized department stores in Eastern Canada. It plans to expand to 100 stores in the next few years.
Hart prefers to focus on smaller cities that larger retailers tend to avoid. It also emphasizes convenience and …read more »
Canadian Tire is much larger than Hart Stores, but earnings at both retailers have suffered lately. However, Canadian Tire’s iconic status and Hart’s focus on smaller communities are competitive advantages that will spur long-term growth.
CANADIAN TIRE CORP. $56 (Toronto symbol CTC.A; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 81.5 million; Market cap: $4.6 billion; SI Rating: Above average) operates 473 …read more »
HART STORES INC. $4.00 (Toronto symbol HIS; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 13.6 million; Market cap: $54.4 million; SI Rating: Speculative) operates 76 midsized department stores, mainly in Eastern Canada.
Hart prefers to focus on smaller cities that larger department stores tend to avoid. In the past two years, the company has focused most of its expansion efforts on …read more »
We feel most investors should hold the bulk of their investment portfolios in securities from wellestablished companies. However, you may also want to hold some aggressive stocks.
Most of our aggressive recommendations have a strong hold on niche markets. This approach cuts your risk by zeroing in on companies like these five, whose strong long-term prospects will help them overcome the …read more »
HART STORES INC. $5.35 (Toronto symbol HIS; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; SI Rating: Speculative) has successfully expanded into Ontario, and now has 10 junior department stores there.
Thanks partly to these new stores, profits in its third fiscal quarter ended October 28, 2006 rose 6.7%, to $0.16 a share from $0.15 a year earlier. Sales grew 10.0%, to $45.0 million …read more »
RIOCAN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $25, has raised its monthly cash distribution 2.3%, from $0.1075 a unit to $0.11. The new annual rate of $1.32 yields 5.3%. Buy.
LEGACY HOTELS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $9.40 has agreed to buy a 398-room hotel in Calgary for $53.5 million. It will also spend a further $4 million on renovations. To put that in …read more »
HART STORES INC. $4.89 (Toronto symbol HIS; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; SI Rating: Speculative) earned $0.24 a share in its fourth fiscal quarter ended January 28, 2006, up 33.3% from $0.18 a year earlier.
However, if you exclude an insurance settlement for a fire at one of its stores, Hart would have earned $0.18 in the most recent quarter. Sales …read more »
HART STORES INC. $4.25 (Toronto symbol HIS; SI Rating: Speculative) operates 71 mid-sized department stores, mainly in Quebec and Eastern Canada.
In the past year, Hart has opened eight new stores, including its five in Ontario. It prefers to focus on smaller urban centres that larger chains tend to avoid.
Thanks to this expansion, Hart’s revenue in the nine months ended October …read more »
