Own grocery stocks to offset high food prices

Article Excerpt

According to Statistics Canada, grocery prices rose 9.1% in June 2023 compared to June 2022. A good way to offset those costs is by investing in these two leading food retailers. Note: both continue to raise their dividends. LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $117 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol L; Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 321.1 million; Market cap: $37.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.5%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.loblaw.ca) operates 1,104 supermarkets under several banners, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills. It also operates 1,338 associate-owned Shoppers Drug Mart locations. With the July 2023 payment, Loblaw raised your quarterly dividend by 10.1%. Investors now receive $0.446 a share instead of $0.405. The new annual rate of $1.784 yields 1.5%. The company has increased the annual rate each year for the past 12 years. In the quarter ended June 17, 2023, overall revenue rose 6.9%, to $13.74 billion from $12.85 billion a year earlier. That’s mainly because Loblaw raised its selling…