Takeover Possibility Adds to Its Appeal

Article Excerpt

CANADA BREAD COMPANY, LTD. $53 (Toronto symbol CBY; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 25.4 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; SI Rating: Above average) makes fresh and frozen breads and baked goods under several brands, including Dempster’s, Healthy Way, Olafson’s, and Tenderflake. The company also makes pastas and sauces under the Olivieri name. Customers include retail food stores, in-store bakeries and restaurants, in Canada, the United States and the UK. In the three months ended December 31, 2006, the company earned $0.70 a share (total $17.7 million), down 5.4% from $0.74 a share ($18.7 million) a year earlier. The latest quarterly earnings exclude $3.7 million (after-tax) expenses related to the closure of a bakery in B.C. and other restructuring items. Sales rose 15.1%, to $355.5 million from $308.8 million, mainly due to higher prices. A big part of Canada Bread’s success in the past few years is acquisitions. In fact, if you disregard acquisitions, sales in the latest quarter grew just…