These grocers earn our ‘Highest’ ratings

Article Excerpt

These two grocers have a long history of regular dividend increases. Their investments in new stores and equipment should also give them more room to reward investors. That’s why we assign them our “Highest” Dividend Sustainability Rating. LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $150 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol L; Conservative-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 310.5 million; Market cap: $46.6 billion; Dividend yield: 1.2%; 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 1,351 associate-owned Shoppers Drug Mart locations. With the July 2023 payment, Loblaw raised your quarterly dividend by 10.1%. The new annual rate of $1.784 a share yields 1.2%. The company has now increased the annual rate each year for the past 12 years. In the quarter ended December 30, 2023, sales rose 3.7%, to $14.53 billion from $14.00 billion a year earlier. Same-store sales for its supermarkets rose 2.0% from a year earlier. Customer traffic was higher,…