Updating Metro Inc., SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., and Newell Brands Inc.

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METRO INC. $43 (Toronto symbol MRU; High-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding 227.7 million; Market cap: $9.8 billion; Dividend yield: 1.7%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; www.metro.ca) operates 600 grocery stores and 250 drugstores, in Quebec and Ontario. With the March 2018 payment, the company raised its quarterly dividend by 10.8%. Investors now receive $0.18 a share instead of $0.1625. The new annual rate of $0.72 yields 1.7%. Metro recently completed its acquisition of Quebec drugstore operator Jean Coutu. It operates over 400 franchised drug stores in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario. The company paid $4.5 billion (75% in cash, 25% in shares). It expects merging warehouses and eliminating overlapping operations with Jean Coutu will let it cut $75 million from its annual costs by the end of the third year. Those savings should let Metro keep raising its dividend. Metro is a buy. SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $57 (Toronto symbol SNC; Cyclical-Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 175.5 million; Market cap: $10.0 billion; Dividend yield: 2.0%;…