Tim eyes the Arab Gulf states for growth

Article Excerpt

TIM HORTONS INC. $41 (Toronto symbol THI; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 173.0 million; Market cap: $7.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.timhortons.com) will make its first expansion outside North America under a new deal with Dubai-based Apparel Group. Under the terms, Apparel will open up to 120 Tim Hortons coffee-and-donut shops in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman in the next five years. Apparel will also operate the outlets. Teaming up with well-established local companies like Apparel Group cuts the risk of expanding internationally. Tim Hortons is a buy. buy…