Loblaw finds its groove

Article Excerpt

Loblaw shares hovered between $30 and $40 between 2008 and 2012. That’s mainly because the company had trouble upgrading its inventory-management systems and streamlining its distribution networks. As a result, many of its stores frequently ran out of basic items. The company has fixed these problems and is now enjoying the benefits of its new systems. In addition, its 2014 purchase of the Shoppers Drug Mart chain sets it up for years for growth. LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $65 (Toronto symbol L; Con- servative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 412.4 million; Market cap: $26.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: …