A Yield to Caution

Article Excerpt

LIQUOR STORES N.A. LTD. $9.09 (Toronto symbol LIQ; Shares outstanding: 27.7 million; Market cap: $251.8 million; Dividend yield: 4.0%; www.liquorstoresna.ca) is North America’s largest publicly traded liquor store operator, with 252 outlets. Of that total, 213 are in Canada—178 in Alberta, and 34 in B.C. In the U.S., the company has 22 stores in Alaska, 15 in Kentucky, two in New Jersey and one in Connecticut. Liquor Stores pays a monthly dividend of $0.03. The yearly rate of $0.36 a share results in a high 4.0% yield. The company’s focus in Alberta entails a lot of risk. To offset that, Liquor Stores aims to grow in other markets, mostly by acquisition. The regulated Canadian market offers few growth opportunities for the company, so it has focused on the U.S. Acquisitions there include 51% of two big-box stores in New Jersey. Liquor Stores paid $15 million for those Joe’s Canal locations. The company’s profits are down on weakness in Alberta, and its debt of $135.8…