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Topic: How To Invest

LOBLAW COMPANIES $34.65 – Toronto symbol L

LOBLAW COMPANIES $34.65 (Toronto symbol L; Shares outstanding: 289.9 million; Market cap: $10.0 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 2.4%; www.loblaw.ca) is Canada’s largest food retailer, with about 1,000 stores.

In the three months ended June 16, 2012, Loblaw’s sales rose 1.3%, to $7.4 billion from $7.3 billion a year earlier. Overall sales at its supermarkets rose 1.1%, while same-store sales gained 0.2%. Revenue from its financial-services division, which mainly issues credit cards, rose 14.9%.

Earnings fell 19.3%, to $159 million, or $0.57 a share, from $197 million, or $0.70 a share, a year earlier. But the decline was mainly because Loblaw continues to invest in new computers as part of a far-reaching plan to improve its efficiency and avoid product shortages in its stores. In the latest quarter, the company spent $20 million on these initiatives.

Loblaw started selling its popular Joe Fresh clothing and accessories in its supermarkets in 2006. It has also opened 12 stand-alone Joe Fresh stores in Canada and six in the U.S.

The company recently formed a partnership with J.C. Penney (New York symbol JCP). Under this deal, Loblaw will build Joe Fresh casual-clothing boutiques inside 700 of Penney’s 1,100 department stores in the U.S. These outlets should open in April 2013. Penney will also sell Joe Fresh products through its website.

The stock trades at 14.0 times Loblaw’s forecast 2012 earnings of $2.47 a share. However, its 2013 earnings could rise to $2.81 a share as it realizes more benefits from its efficiency plan. The shares trade at an even more reasonable 12.3 times that forecast. The $0.84 dividend yields 2.4%.

Loblaw is a buy.

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