Future Remains Bright For These 2 Retailers

Article Excerpt

LEON’S FURNITURE $9.80 (Toronto symbol LNF; SI Rating: Average) (416-243-7880; www.leons.ca; Shares outstanding: 70.7 million; Market cap: $692.6 million) has moved down lately, along with many other stocks, but also due to investor worries about Canadian housing starts. However, even if housing sales slow down significantly, the company will keep prospering because new homeowners tend to keep buying home furnishings in the first few years of ownership. The company also continues to build new warehouse showrooms and renovate its existing stores to profit from the rising numbers of homeowners over the last few years. This includes a new downtown Toronto location. The store is now under construction, with opening scheduled for early 2009. Leon’s reported 20.2% higher sales in the three months ended June 30, 2008, to $176.7 million from $147 million a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, earnings per share rose 14.3%, to $0.16 from $0.14. The company has no debt, and holds cash of $125.6 million or $1.78 per share. Leon’s…