IMPERIAL OIL $49.56 (Toronto symbol IMO; Shares outstanding: 847.6 million; Market cap: $43.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 1.1%; www.imperialoil.ca) owns roughly 500 of the 1,700 Esso gas stations in Canada.
The company is considering selling its companyowned stations to independent operators. It’s likely that it would only sell to buyers who agree to purchase their fuel from Imperial and keep using the Esso brand.
Imperial is also looking at options to spur growth at its On the Run convenience stores. It may sell them outright or set them up as franchises.
Imperial Oil is a buy.