Updating TORSTAR CORP., LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. and SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC.

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TORSTAR CORP. $5.32 (Toronto symbol TS.B; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 78.9 million; Market cap: $419.7 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; SI Rating: Above Average) reported a first-quarter loss of $21.4 million, or $0.27 a share. However, that was largely caused by a $0.23-a-share charge related to employee layoffs and a change in Torstar’s senior management. The company lost $3 million, or $0.04 a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 3.5%, to $339 million from $351.3 million. Torstar’s newspapers and web sites account for 70% of its revenue and 60% of its profits. This division lost $4.8 million in the latest quarter, compared with a profit of $12.4 million a year earlier. The recession and growing competition from the Internet have hurt its advertising revenue. However, profits at the Harlequin book-publishing division rose 19.1%, to $20.6 million from $17.3 million. As well, Torstar’s restructuring should lower its annual expenses by $37.9 million. Torstar is a buy. LOBLAW COMPANIES LTD. $35 (Toronto symbol…